Alterations in transaminase activity and serum level of leptin and hepcidin induced by high fat diet in albino rats.

Obesity is a commonly growing life-threatening problem of the modern world. The present study was aimed to assess alterations in transaminase levels as well as leptin and hepcidin levels of sera through ELISA after high fat diet consumption for sixteen weeks by albino rats (n=5). Three groups were established: experimental groups 1 and 2 and a control group. Group 1 was fed on a high fat diet having a composition of 33% rat chow +33% sucrose +33% milk powder. Similarly, group 2 was fed with another high fat diet with a mixture of rat chow and milk powder ad libitum. The control group was fed on normal rat chow and water ad libitum. After sixteen weeks, the rats were euthanized and blood was collected for serum separation. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase showed a positive significant increase (P=0.0325) while a significant negative change (P=0.0006) was noted in aspartate aminotransferase levels in both the experimental groups compared to the control group. Serum leptin levels were found to be increased up to 10.06-fold in Group 1 and 6.11-fold in Group 2 when compared to controls. On the other hand, serum hepcidin levels showed up to 1-fold and 2.59-fold changes in Group 1 and Group 2, respectively, compared to controls. Taken together, from these results it can be concluded that a high fat diet not only disturbs normal metabolism, but it also leads to liver inflammation which is obvious by the changes in transaminase activity as well as leptin and hepcidin levels.

Dose-dependent acute phase response of aqueous leaf decoction of Nerium oleander in Wistar rats.

Many studies have been carried out in order to determine the toxicity of medicinal plants. The objective of this study was to compare and analyze the hepatic response against two doses of Nerium oleander, (N. oleander) “kaner” leaf decoction. Aqueous leaf decoction was injected intramuscularly into both hind limbs of male rats (200∓10g), assigned into three categories (n=4): control group with no treatment; group I, injected with 5 ml/ kg; and group II injected with 10 ml/ kg of leaf decoction, respectively. Animals were sacrificed 6 h after administration and hepato-histological changes were then observed. The decoction induced an acute phase reaction reflected by a more significant recruitment of inflammatory cells in group II than in group I and controls, as observed by histological studies. These results indicated that both doses can induce an acute-phase condition. Hence, traditional practice of medicinal plants without preliminary dose assessment must not be administered.