ABSTRACT
Obesity is a popular health problem in the world, characterized by metabolic disorder such as arteriosclerosis, hyperlipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. This study is carried out to determine the effect of Tetracarpidium conophorum nut extract on serum lipid profile of Monosodium Glutamate induced obesity in rats. Twenty five (25) rats, 15 females and 10 males were obtained from the animal house of the Department of Biochemistry, University of Calabar. The animals were divided and cohabited in five well ventilated cages in the ratio of 3:2 females to males respectively. Obesity was induced in the pups by intravenous administration 4mg/kg body weight of MSG on day 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10. The animal were confirmed obese using their BMI after 12 weeks. The rats were assigned into 6 groups, 7 rats per group. Group 1 serve as normal control and was treated with normal saline, group 2 to 6 were administered with the following, standard anti-obesity drug (Orlistat 5.14mg/kg body weight), whole extract of Tetracarpidium conophorum (2g/kgbw), ethyl acetate extract of Tetracarpidium conophorum (2g/kgbw), respectively. This administration lasted for 6 weeks after which the animals were made to fast overnight for the purpose of sacrifice. At the beginning of the sacrifice, the animals were all euthanized using 2μl of ketamine per gram body weight of animals, whole blood samples were collected through cardiac puncture with the use of syringes, dissecting sets, etc. the blood was then collected into plain sample tubes and serum separated and used for lipid profile evaluation. The result of the analysis shows that there was no significant changes (P>0.05) in the lipid profile of the obese animals (Obc) relative to the normal (NC). Equally the Obsc group did not show any significant (P<0.05) change relative to the Obc. However, TC, HDL-C, LDL-C decreases and VLDL-C, HDL: TC and LDL: HDL ratios of Obsc increases relative to obc group, also the changes were insignificant (P<0.05) upon treatment with the different fractions of the Tetracarpidium conophorum nuts, though EWE treated group shows decrease in total cholesterol, triglycerols, LDL-C and VLDL-C while HDL-C decrease relative to obsc. This study shows that Tetracarpidium conophorum have the ability to down regulate serum lipids.
