Hepatoprotective and Antioxidant Activities of Tribulus Terrestris

Tribulus terrestris L. has been used in folk medicine throughout history. The present study examined the acute toxicity of the total ethanolic extract of T. Terrestris followed by investigation of the hepatoprotective activity of the total ethanolic extract and different fractions of the aerial parts of the plant compared to silymarin against carbon tetrachloride- induced hepatic damage in rats. In addition, in vivo antioxidant activity was examined and linked to the previous in vitro DPPH free radical scavenging activity investigation. This study established the plant’s safety and the hepatoprotective effect of the total ethanolic extract of the aerial parts of the plant and its different fractions due to significant decrease in CCl4- induced rise in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and total bilirubin in rats. Treatment with the ethyl acetate fraction significantly reduced oxidative stress in CCl4- intoxicated rats, as evident by a decrease inmalondialdehyde (MDA) content associated with elevation of hepatic reduced glutathione (GSH) content and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Hence, this hepatoprotective effect could be due to the antioxidant activity of the plant which is mainly imparted by the two major di-p-coumaroylquinic acid derivatives isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction

Green Coffee Bean Extract Normalize Obesity-Induced Alterations of Metabolic Parameters in Rats by Upregulating Adiponectin and GLUT4 Levels and Reducing RBP-4 and HOMA-IR

Obesity is a serious public health issue worldwide. Finding safe and efficacious products to reverse obesity has proven to be a difficult challenge. This study showed the effects of Coffea arabica or green coffee bean extract (GCBE) on obesity disorders and the improvement of obesity-induced insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and inflammation. The active constituents of GCBE were identified via high-performance liquid chromatography. Twenty-four male albino Wistar rats were divided into two groups. The first group (Group I) was fed a control diet, whereas the second group was fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for eight weeks till obesity induction. The second group was equally subdivided into Group II, which received HFD, and Group III, which received HFD + GCBE for another eight weeks. The body and organ weights of the animals were measured, and blood and adipose tissue samples were collected for analysis. The results indicated that the administration of GCBE significantly decreased the body and organ weights. Furthermore, it had an ameliorative effect on serum biochemical parameters. It dramatically reduced total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, glucose, and insulin levels. In addition, an improvement in homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance and an enhancement of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were observed compared with the HFD group. In addition, the group treated with GCBE exhibited a marked increase in serum levels of adiponectin (an anti-inflammatory adipokine). In addition, a considerable reduction in adipocyte hypertrophy was found following GCBE treatment. Remarkably, the administration of GCBE resulted in a remarkable decrease in the expression of RBP4 (a pro-inflammatory cytokine), whereas an increase in GLLUT4 expression was observed in the adipose tissue. This improved insulin resistance in GCBE-administered HFD rats compared with other HFD rats. Our study showed that GCBE exhibits anti-obesity activity and may be used as a natural supplement to prevent and treat obesity and its associated disorders