Abstract:
Purpose: To assess the anti-obesity effect of liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS)
profiled ethylacetate fraction (EF) of Anthocleista vogelii Planch on pancreatic lipase activity in vitro, and
on obesity-related hormones in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese rats.
Methods: Chromatographic analysis of EF to identify bioactive compounds was performed using LCMS
electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) positive mode. Thirty Sprague–Dawley rats were
divided into 5 groups (n = 6). Group 1 was fed normal pellet diet, while groups 2 - 5 were fed high-fat
diet (HFD) for 14 weeks. The rats were treated for 4 weeks from week 10 with 125 mg/kg of EF (group
3), 250 mg/kg of EF (group 4) or 100 mg/kg of orlistat (group 5).
Results: Seven alkaloids were identified in EF, namely, 10-hydroxycamtothecin, moschamindole,
camptothecin, moschamine, N6-cis-p-coumaroylserotonin, sinomenine and desacetylcolchicine. The EF
of A. vogelii exhibited inhibitory activity against pancreatic lipase with half-maximal inhibitory
concentration (IC50) of 8.76 ± 0.110 μg/mL. Rats treated with EF (125 and 250 mg/kg) of A. vogelii
showed significantly (p < 0.05) decreased feed intake, body weight, leptin and insulin, when compared
to HFD controls. Cortisol, serotonin and noradrenaline were significantly (p < 0.05) increased, but
changes in thyroid hormones levels in EF-treated rats were not significant (p > 0.05) when compared to
HFD controls.
Conclusion: The EF of A. vogelii demonstrate anti-obesity activities by inhibiting pancreatic lipase,
elevating serotonin and noradrenaline, and increasing leptin sensitivity, leading consequently to
decreased body weight of rats. However, the clinical use of EF of A. vogelii as an antiobesity herbal
remedy requires further studies on its mechanisms of action.
