Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Anti-Obesity Effects of Melastoma malabathricum var Alba Linn in Rats Fed with a High-Fat Diet

  • Research Article
  • Published:
AAPS PharmSciTech Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Obesity is one of the major public health problems worldwide and it is generally associated with many diseases. Although synthetic drugs are available for the treatment of obesity, herbal remedies may provide safe, natural, and cost-effective alternative to synthetic drugs. One example of such drugs is Melastoma malabathricum var Alba Linn (MM). Although several studies have been reported for the pharmacological activities of MM, there is no report on the anti-obesity effect of MM. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the anti-obesity potential of methanolic extract of MM. The anti-obesity effect of MM on rats fed with a high-fat diet was investigated through determination of the changes in body weight, fat weight, organ weights, and blood biochemicals. The animals in this study were divided into three groups: a normal group with a standard diet (N), a control group fed with high-fat diet (C), and a MM treatment group fed with high-fat (HFD + MM) diet for 8 weeks. There was no significant difference in the amount of food intake between control and HFD + MM treatments. These results also suggest that MM does not induce a dislike for the diet due to its smell or taste. The study shows that MM significantly prevented increases in body weight, cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and total lipids that resulted from the high-fat diet. MM also decreased the epididymal fat (E-fat) and retroperitoneal fat (R-fat) weights and phospholipid concentrations induced by the high-fat diet. On the basis of these findings, it was concluded that MM had anti-obesity effects by suppressing body weight gain and abdominal fat formation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Mangal A, Sharma MC. Evaluation of certain medicinal compounds for antiobesity properties. Indian J Trad Knowl. 2009;8(4):602–5.

    Google Scholar 

  2. WHO. http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/obesity/en/2012.

  3. Ekanem AP, Wang M, Simon JE, Moreno DA. Antiobesity properties of two African plants (Afromomum meleguetta and Spilanthes acmella) by pancreatic lipase inhibition. Phytother Res. 2007;21:1253–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Frank BH, Li TY, Graham AC, Walter CW, JoAnn EM. Television watching and other sedentary, behaviors in relation to risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus in women. JAMA. 2003;289:1785–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Bays H, Blonde L, Rosenson R. Adiposopathy: how do diet, exercise and weight loss drug therapies improve metabolic disease in overweight patients? Expert Rev of Cardiovasc Ther. 2006;4:871–95.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Mazzucotelli A, Lanqin D. Fatty acid mobilization and their use in adipose tissue. J de la Socié té de Biol. 2006;200:83–91.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Ranjbar SH, Nayebi N, Larijani B, Abdollahi M. A systematic review of the efficacy and safety of herbal medicines used in the treatment of obesity. World J Gastroenterol. 2009;15(25):3073–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Hardeman W, Griffin S, Johnston M, Kinmonth AL, Wareham NJ. Interventions to prevent weight gain: a systematic review of psychological models and behaviour change methods. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2000;24:131–43.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Abdollahi M, Afshar-Imani B. A review on obesity and weight loss measures. Middle East Pharm. 2003;11:6–10.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Begum D, Nath SC. Ethnobotanical review of medicinal plants used for skin diseases and related problems in Northeastern India. J Herbs Spices Med Plants. 2000;7(3):55–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Ong HC, Norzalina J. Malay herbal medicine in Gemencheh, Negri Sembilan. Malaysia Fitoterapia. 1999;70(1):10–4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Mohd JS, Yob NJ, Rofiee MS, Meor Mohd MMR, Affandi Z, Suhaili F, et al. Melastoma malabathricum (L) Smith ethnomedicinal uses, chemical constituents, and pharmacological properties: a review. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2011;2012:1–48.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Folch J, Lees M, Sloane-Stanley GH. A simple method for the isolation and purification of total lipids from animal tissues. J Biol Chem. 1957;226:479–509.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Kusnoki M, Hara T, Tsutsumi K, Nakamura T, Miyata T, Sakakibara F, et al. The lipoprotein lipase activator, NO-1886, suppresses fat accumulation and insulin resistance in rats fed a high-fat diet. Diabetologia. 2000;43(7):875–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Bobek P, Hromadova M, Ozdin L. Experientia. Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) reduces the activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase in rat liver microsomes. Experientia. 1995;51(6):589–91.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Kesaniemi YA, Grundy SM. Effects of dietary polyenylphosphatidylcholine on metabolism of cholesterol and triglycerides in hypertriglyceridemic patients. Am J Clin Nutr. 1986;43:98–107.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Hauptman JB, Jeunet FS, Hartmann D. Initial studies in humans with the novel gastrointestinal lipase inhibitor Ro 18–0647 (tetrahydrolipstatin). Am J Clin Nutr. 1992;55:309S–13.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Lowry JB. The distribution and potential taxonomic value of alkylated ellagic acids. Phytochemistry. 1968;7(10):1803–13.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Lowry JB. Anthocyanins of the Melastomataceae, Myrtaceae and some allied families. Phytochemistry. 1976;15(4):513–6.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Manzoor-I-Khuda M, Chowdhury SA, Reza T, Chowdhury AK. Chemical investigation on Melastoma malabathricum. Part 1: isolation of melastomic acid and beta-sitosterol from the roots. J Bangladesh Acad Sci. 1981;5:55–9.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Dinda B, Saha MK. Aliphatic compounds from Melastoma malabathricum. J Indian Chem Soc. 1986;63:764–6.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Dinda B, Saha MK. Fatty acid sterols from Melastoma malabathricum. J Indian Chem Soc. 1986;63:144–5.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Dass KK, Kotoky JJ. A new aliphatic constituent of Melastoma malabathricum Linn. J Indian Chem Soc. 1988;65:385–6.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Dinda B, Saha MK. A flavonol-diglycoside from Melastoma malabathricum. J Indian Chem Soc. 1988;65:209–11.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Yoshida T, Nakata F, Hosotani K, Nitta A, Okuda T. Dimeric hydrolysable tannins from Melastoma malabathricum. Phytochemistry. 1992;31:2829–33.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Yoshida T, Nakata F, Hosotani K, Nitta A, Okuda T. Tannins and related polyphenols of melastomataceous plants. V. Three new complex tannins from Melastoma malabathricum L. Chem Pharm Bull. 1992;40(7):1727–32.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Nuresti S, Baek SH, Asari A. Chemical components of Melastoma malabathricum. ACGC Chem Res Commun. 2003;16:28–33.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Wong KC, Boey PL, Ali DMH. Phytochemical and biological study of Melastoma malabathricum L., a local plant used in traditional medicine. MIDAS Bull. 2004;32:8cbrs.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Nazlina I, Norha S, Noor Zarina AW, Ahmad IB. Cytotoxicity and antiviral activity of Melastoma malabathricum extracts. Malaysian J App Bio. 2008;37:53–5.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Susanti D, Sirat HM, Ahmad F, Mat AR. Bioactive constituents from the leaves of Melastoma malabathricum L. J Ilmiah Farmasi. 2008;5:1–8.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Bose M, Lambert JD, Ju J, Reuhl KR, Shapses SA, Yang CS. The major green tea polyphenol, (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate, inhibits obesity, metabolic syndrome, and fatty liver disease in high-fat-fed mice. J Nutr. 2008;138:1677–83.

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Wolfram S, Raederstorff D, Wang Y, Teixeira SR, Elste V, Weber P. TEAVIGO (epigallocatechin gallate) supplementation prevents obesity in rodents by reducing adipose tissue mass. Ann Nutr Metab. 2005;49:54–63.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Klaus S, Pultz S, Thone-Reineke C, Wolfram S. Epigallocatechin gallate attenuates diet-induced obesity in mice by decreasing energy absorption and increasing fat oxidation. Int J Obes. 2005;29:615–23.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Yu SF, Shun CT, Chen TM, Chen YH. 3-O-beta-D-glucosyl-(1→6)-beta-D-glucosyl-kaempferol isolated from Sauropus androgenus reduces body weight gain in Wistar rats. Biol Pharm Bull. 2006;29:2510–3.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Park T, Kim Y. Phytochemicals as potential agents for prevention and treatment of obesity and metabolic diseases. Anti Obes Drug Discov Dev. 2011;1:1–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Hsu CL, Yen GC. Effects of flavonoids and phenolic acids on the inhibition of adipogenesis in 3T3-L1adipocytes. J Agric Food Chem. 2007;55:8404–10.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Hsu CL, Wu CH, Huang SL, Yen GC. Phenolic compounds rutin and o-coumaric acid ameliorate obesity induced by high-fat diet in rats. J Agric Food Chem. 2009;57:425–31.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research work was financially supported by the Universiti Sains Malaysia, under the Grant No. 304/PFarmasi/650603/K123.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Pharmacy, AIMST University, 08100, Semeling, Kedah Darul Aman, Malaysia

    Sundram Karupiah

  2. School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, USM, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

    Zhari Ismail

Authors
  1. Sundram Karupiah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Zhari Ismail
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sundram Karupiah.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Karupiah, S., Ismail, Z. Anti-Obesity Effects of Melastoma malabathricum var Alba Linn in Rats Fed with a High-Fat Diet. AAPS PharmSciTech 16, 548–553 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1208/s12249-014-0245-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1208/s12249-014-0245-1

KEY WORDS

Search

Navigation