Anti-Obesity Potential of the Ethanolic Extract of Alstonia boonei Stem Bark on High Carbohydrate Diet Induced Obesity in Male Wistar Rats

Abstract

Obesity increases the likelihood of various diseases, particularly dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and osteoarthritis. The aim of this study was to determine the anti-obesity potential of the ethanolic extract of Alstonia boonei stem bark on diet induced obesity (DIO) in male Wistar rats. Thirty male Wistar rats were divided into three groups (n=10): Animals in group 1 were fed normal control diet, Group 2 and 3rats were fed high carbohydrate diet for 14 weeks, which was the period of obesity induction. The treatment period lasted for the next 4 weeks in which the rats in Group 1 and 2 received the vehicle (normal saline) and only Group 3 received 500 mg/kg b.w Alstonia boonei extract.The results obtained showed that feeding rats with Alstonia booneiextract significantly decreased (p<0.05) food intake,
body weight, fat mass, adiposity index, TC, LDL-C, leptin levels. It however had no significant effecton HDL-C, glucose and insulin levels when
compared with the HCD obese control. The photomicrograph of HCD obese controls showed presence of numerous prominent fat deposits in the
livers; this appeared reduced among the groups treated with the plant extract. Thus, the ethanolic extract of Alstonia boonei stem bark may have
some potential in the management and/or treatment of obesity.