To evaluate and compare the efficacy of alcoholic and aqueous extract of Lagenaria siceraria in high fat diet model in wistar rats

Background: Obesity is not only affecting the affluent society but also affecting developing countries like India. The incidence of obesity is rapidly increasing throughout the world. However, the current anti-obesity drugs have numerous limitations.Methods: The obesity was induced in male wistar rats by giving high-fat diet over 12 weeks. The variables assessed were body weight, abdominal girth, blood triglyceride level, liver weight and fat mass and histopathology of liver. Aqueous and alcoholic extracts of Lagenaria siceraria (200mg/kg and 400mg/kg Doses) were compared to orlistat (treatment control) and high-fat diet group (disease control) for different variables.Results: Alcoholic and aqueous extracts high dose (400mg/kg) of Lagenaria siceraria significantly reduced total body weight (p<0.05), abdominal girth (p <0.05) at week 10 and 12 compared to high fat diet group. Alcoholic extract (400mg/kg) significantly reduced total blood triglyceride level (p <0.05) and total liver weight (p <0.05) compared to high-fat diet group. None of the study drugs reduced % liver weight. Alcoholic extract high dose (p <0.05) has shown improvement in histopathological score. Both aqueous and alcoholic extracts have shown reduced fat mass compared to high-fat diet group.Conclusions: The alcoholic extract (400mg/kg) of Lagenaria siceraria alleviated high fat diet induced obesity and dyslipidemic changes in rats. The alcoholic extract of Lagenaria siceraria is having better anti-obesity potential than aqueous extract