Several animals have been in the limelight of basic research associated with metabolic diseases like obesity. Obesity can be considered as a significant public health concern in the world. It raises the chances for a variety of disease conditions that includes diabetes, hypertension, liver disease, and cancers, which, in turn, decreases the overall lifespan of adult men and women. The World Health Organization has considered obesity as a global epidemic. Researchers have made several attempts to classify human obesity, but none have been successful. Animal obesity can be classi¬fied based on their etiology; however, till now, no animal model of obesity can replicate models of the human condition, they have only provided clues into the causes, aftermaths, and preventive remedy to human adiposity. Over the years, there are varieties of animal models used to induce obesity. Some of them include monogenic, polygenic, surgical, seasonal, and other models of obesity. Apart from the advantages of these models, most of them are accompanied by limita¬tions. The primary purpose of this review is, therefore, to highlight the several models with their advantages and limitations. By knowing the benefits and limitations of animal models of obesity, researchers may be at liberty to select the appropriate one for the study of obesity. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2020; 7(1.000): 103-114]

Objective: Jicama (Pachyrhizus erosus) fiber has been documented to exert an immunomodu¬latory effect both in vitro and in vivo. However, its beneficial effect against metabolic syndrome remains unknown. This study aimed to reveal whether the jicama fiber (JF) could prevent the development of diabetes and obesity caused by a high-sugar diet (HSD). Materials and Methods: The JF was isolated from its tuberous part and subsequently used as a supplemental diet for adult male Bagg and Albino (BALB)/c mice fed with a HSD. Four different diet paradigms including normal diet, HSD (30% sucrose), and HSD in combination with 10% and 25% of JF, respectively, were deployed continuously for 8 weeks. Furthermore, the blood glucose level, glucose tolerance, body weight, food and water consumption as well as epididymal white adipose tissue (WAT) and interscapular brown adipose tissue (BAT) mass were determined. Results: Our results revealed that supplementation of 25% JF could significantly prevent the blood glucose increase, excessive body weight gain, and glucose intolerance in mice fed with HSD. Moreover, 10% and 25% JF blunted the HSD-induced WAT mass gain but failed to counteract the depletion of BAT mass. Furthermore, the fiber supplementation elicited a minimum effect on rhythm and total food and water intake. Conclusion: The JF could effectively sustain blood glucose homeostasis as well as improve body weight and WAT mass profile against the development of diabetes and obesity caused by HSD. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2019; 6(2.000): 222-230]

A high-fat diet (HFD) is characterized by an excessive intake of dietary fats, while often being deficient in essential nutrients and fiber. Studies in animal models have consistently demonstrated that high-fat diets can lead to significant elevation of weight gain, body organs and biochemical parameters. The present research aimed to clarify the adverse physiological consequences of HFD on female rats. The present study was performed on 12 female rats that were divided to equal groups. Group I fed normal basal diet and group II fed HFD for 12 months. The body weight and gain, relative organs weight as well as abdominal fat mass were recorded. Hematological parameters, lipid profile, liver and kidney functions and Heart fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) were determined. Also, histopathology for liver, kidney and heart were performed. Electrocardiography (ECG) was performed. The body weight, weight gain, relative organs weight and abdominal fat mass were significantly increased in group II than group I. Hematological parameters, lipid profile, liver and kidney functions, H-FABP and ECG as well as histopathology were deteriorated in group II than group I. The findings revealed that prolonged consumption of a high-fat diet resulted in significant physiological perturbations. Understanding the intricate interactions between high-fat diets, body weight, body organs and biochemical parameters is essential for devising effective prevention and treatment strategies for obesity and related metabolic disorders.

Obesity is a global public health issue. It is associated with a spectrum of liver abnormalities, like nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Vitamin D3 on light microscopic changes in the liver, as well as hematology and some liver enzymes in experimentally overweight albino rats. Five groups of thirty-five male albino rats were formed. For three months, Control (C) group received a standard laboratory diet. Corn oil (CO) group received normal balanced diet and given orally 20 mg/kg corn oil daily. Vitamin D (D) group received normal balanced diet and orally treated daily with 5000 IU/kg of vitamin D3. Overweight (OW) group rats received high caloric diet. Overweight/ vitamin D (OWD) group received high caloric diet and treated with oral vitamin D3 5000 IU/kg daily. Liver weights of animals were recorded, blood samples for hematology, some liver functions, catalase (CAT) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were collected. Liver samples were fixed in 10% formal saline then stained by H&E for histological examination. OW group had significantly higher liver weights, and liver function than CO group. Histologically, there was an increase of fatty degeneration in the OW group. However, OWD group was lower in all the measured and examined liver parameters than that of CO group in this study vitamin D3 supplement could ameliorate the abnormal changes in the hepatocytes induced by obesity.

Obesity’s dangers are becoming more widely recognized around the world. Obese people are more likely to develop a variety of serious diseases, including fatty liver. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Origanum majorana on light microscopic changes in the liver, as well as hematology and some liver enzymes in experimentally obese albino rats. Four groups of twenty-four male albino rats were formed. For three months, the control group was fed a standard laboratory diet and received saline orally by gavage tube. Obese rats were given a high-fat diet. The marj group received 20 mg/kg of aqueous extract of marjoram via gavage tube. The obese/marj group received the same treatment as the obese group and received 20 mg/kg of aqueous extract of marjoram daily via gavage tube. The liver and visceral fat weights of animals were recorded, blood samples for hematology and liver functions were estimated. Liver samples were fixed in 10% formol saline then stained by Hematoxylin and Eosin for histological examination. Obese animals had significantly higher liver, visceral fat weights, and liver function than the control group. Histologically, there was an increase of fatty degeneration in the obese group. However, the obese group that received the aqueous leaf extract of Origanum majorana was lower in all the measured and examined liver parameters than that of the control group. In this study the aqueous leaf extract of Origanum majorana may ameliorate the obesity induced abnormal changes in the hepatocytes.

Obesity alters lipid profile, blood glucose, liver enzymes, oxidative stress, and hormonal balance. Fennel has shown anti-obesity effects in preliminary studies, but its role in ameliorative metabolic complications of obesity needs further research. This study assessed the provisional influences of fennel extract against high-fat diet-provoked metabolic deviations in rats. Forty male albino rats were allocated into standard diet control, obese control, low dose fennel (100 mg/kg) and high dose fennel (300 mg/kg) groups. Obesity was triggered by 4 weeks of high-fat nourishment. Fennel extract was applied orally for 6 weeks. Parameters considered were body weight, lipid profile, blood glucose, liver enzymes, anti-oxidant status, thyroid hormones, leptin, and hepatic insulin receptor gene expression. Fennel significantly diminished body weight, total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol, liver enzymes, glucose, and leptin while increasing HDL-cholesterol, anti-oxidant enzymes, and thyroid stimulating hormone compared to obese controls. Histological examination has shown alleviation of fat accumulation and intracellular changes in the liver. Insulin receptor gene expression was also significantly increased by fennel extract. This study demonstrated that fennel extract reverses obesity-induced metabolic syndrome, oxidative stress, endocrine disruption, and histopathological change in the liver of rats. The hypolipidemic, hypoglycemic, anti-oxidant, and hepatoprotective properties of fennel may be beneficial in managing obesity-associated metabolic complications.

The present study investigated the effects of methanolic extract of harmala nanoparticle (H/ZnONP) on the changes in serum lipid profiles, serum leptin levels and liver and kidney PPAR gene expression in high caloric diet (HCD) induced obese rats. After induction of obesity with HCD for one month to half numbers of rats. Non-obese group had three subgroups; G1: Control fed basal diets, G2: basal diets plus H/ZnONPs (200 mg/kg/day) and G3: basal diets plus H/ZnONPs (400 mg/kg/day). However, obese group was divided into three subgroups G4: HFD, G5: HFD+H/ZnONPs (200 mg/kg/day) and G6: HFD+ H/ZnONPs (400 mg/kg/day). After 4 weeks of treatment blood and tissue samples were collected and subjected to laboratory assay of lipid profile and leptin level in addition to expression of PPAR gene in liver and kidney. We also investigated the possible protective effect of H/ZnONP 200 and 400 mg/kg BW on liver and kidney histology. The obtained results demonstrated that H/ZnONP treatment to obese rats significantly decreased serum cholesterols, triglyceride, and LDL level while relative expression of PPAR gene in liver and kidney was significantly increased. Based on the obtained results we can concluded that H/ZnONP supplementation has a potent anti-obesity effect in rats by improving lipid profile, enhance expression of PPAR gene in liver and kidney and improve liver and kidney histology particularly the high dose.

The goal of this research was to determine the impact of garlic oil and leek powder on serum lipid levels and on sonic hedgehog (SHH) signalling pathway in a rat model of hyperlipidemia, to offer evidence supporting the use of diet as a means of preventing hyperlipidemia, and to further investigate the possible health advantages of these two H2S-donors. In this study, 80 males Wistar rats were divided into eight groups, for a period of 18 weeks, the rats were orally dosed with garlic oil and leek powder. Obesity indicators, serum lipid levels, some biochemical, molecular parameters and histopathology of liver tissues were determined. Compared to rats in the obese model groups, the garlic oil and leek powder reduced cholesterol, triacylglycerol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c) and very low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (VLDL-c) levels in the serum (P < 0.05). The garlic oil and leek powder also helped reduce hepatic steatosis and enhance lipid profiles. A reduction was found in the gene expression in the hepatic homogenate of Patched 1 (Ptch1), smoothened (SMO), glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1 (GLI 1), Sonic hedgehog protein (SHH), Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR 4), and nuclear factor kappa kB (NF-kB). On the other hand, there was a significant upregulation in the mRNA expression of hedgehog-interacting protein (Hhip-1), and miRNA 26a which is also a dose- and time-dependent manner. The obtained findings suggested that both garlic oil and leek powder as H2S donor had anti-obesity capabilities that can mitigate the effects of an HFD.