Effects of polyphenol‐rich traditional herbal teas on obesity and oxidative stress in rats fed a high‐fat–sugar diet

• Published in: Food science & nutrition Vol. 10; no. 3; pp. 698 - 711
• Main Authors: Iftikhar, Neelam, Hussain, Abdullah Ijaz, Chatha, Shahzad Ali Shahid, Sultana, Nazia, Rathore, Hassaan Anwer
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01-03-2022; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: Acids; Animals; Antioxidants; Aquatic plants; BMI; Body mass index; Body weight; Diet; Flavonoids; Flowers; GSH; Herbal tea; Hibiscus rosa-sinensis; High density lipoprotein; High fat diet; kidney index; Kidneys; LDL and HDL; Lipoproteins; Lipoproteins (very low density); Liver; liver index; MDA; nutraceutical; Obesity; Original; Original Research; Oxidative stress; phenolic acids and flavonoids; Phenolic compounds; Phenols; Plant extracts; Rhizomes; SOD; Sugar; Tea; Zingiber officinale; Pakistan; phenolic acids and flavonoids; liver index; nutraceutical; SOD; high‐fat diet; kidney index; LDL and HDL; MDA; GSH; BMI
• ISSN: 2048-7177; 2048-7177
• DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.2695

Hibiscus rosa‐sinensis and Zingiber officinalis teas are traditionally used for the therapies of various diseases, including obesity. The present research work was planned to appraise the potential of polyphenol‐rich extracts of selected herbal plants in obesity and related biochemical parameters of high‐fat–sugar diet‐induced obese rats. Three herbal teas were prepared from Hibiscus rosa‐sinensis flowers and Zingiber officinalis rhizomes and their mixture (3:1, respectively). Total phenolic contents (TPC) of Hibiscus rosa‐sinensis and Zingiber officinalis extracts were found to be 5.82 and 1.45 mg/g of dry plant material, measured as GAE, while total flavonoid contents (TFC) were 9.17 and 1.95 mg/g of dry plant material, measured as CE, respectively. Two doses (250 and 500 mg/kg BW) of each tea were administered and body weight, BMI, kidney, liver, and atherogenic indices, TC, TG, HDL, LDL, VLDL, BT, AST, ALT, AP, SC, MDA, SOD, GSH, and TAC of rats groups were measured. Data showed that higher doses of Hibiscus rosa‐sinensis significantly reduced the rat's BMI (0.50 g/cm2) in comparison with the high‐fat–sugar diet group (0.79 g/cm2). All treatment groups, especially H‐500 group, showed a significant decrease in the elevated kidney and liver weights and atherogenic index in comparison with HFSDC groups. Higher doses of Hibiscus rosa‐sinensis significantly decreased the levels of AST, ALT, AP, and SC in comparison with the HFSDC group. A significant decrease in the levels of serum TC, TG, LDL, and VLDL was observed in all the treatment groups in comparison with the HFSDC group. Furthermore, all the teas, especially higher doses of Hibiscus rosa‐sinensis, prevented the alterations in MDA, SOD, and GSH levels of experimental groups, thus showing the potential against oxidative stress. It can be concluded from these results that Hibiscus rosa‐sinensis teas exhibited strong protective effects against obesity and oxidative stress, especially at higher doses.
Results of the present work demonstrated that the use of Hibiscus rosa‐sinensis L. and Zingiber officinale Roscoe herbal teas at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg shows anti‐obesity and anti‐oxidative effects in vivo that were more pronounced than a standard anti‐obesity drug (orlistat).