Abstract

ASSESSMENT OF THE AMELIORATIVE EFFECTS OF GINGER AQUEOUS EXTRACTS ON OBESITY AND HYPERLIPIDEMIA IN OBESE RABBITS FED HIGH FAT DIET.

Salma Abdullah El-abiad, Younis Muftah Al-zaedi and Fathi Salim Hudoud*

ABSTRACT

Obesity is a condition where abnormal or excessive fat accumulation in the body may affect one person's health. Obesity represents a serious health problem that increased the risk for many diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Ginger is one of the most important spices used to flavor most foods and this for its health benefits. This the plant used medicinally for its hepatoprotective, antioxidant, antihyperlipidemic, and antiobesity effects. the present study aimed to evaluate the anti-obesity effects of an aqueous extract of ginger in high fat diet-induced obese rabbits. Rabbits were divided to 2 groups; normal and experimental groups. Group-A: normal or negative control with ten rabbits; Group-B: positive control; This group divided to 2 subgroups with ten rabbits each; Subgroup-1: HFD fed rabbits without treatment whit aqueous extract of ginger; Subgroup-2: HFD fed rabbits that treated with 400 mg/kg b.wt ginger aqueous extract once a day for six consecutive weeks. Results showed significant differences between treated and control groups. That were clearly demonstrated by improving body weights and decreasing levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL-C and HDL-C when compared to positive control rabbit group. These results concluded that the ability of extract as a drug for obesity with no major adverse effects. However, the therapeutic effect of ginger aqueous extract appeared to be dose dependent due to variations in their enhancement effect on the obtained findings.

Keywords: Ginger, Obesity, Hyperlipidemia, Body weight.