Methanolic Extract of Clinacanthus nutans Leaves can Alter AdipocyteCellularity, Inflammation and Acetyl Cholinesterase Activity in Male ObeseMice

Background: The adverse effects of obesity on human health necessitate the development of effective interventions for the prevention and treatment of obesity. Mixture of natural products, including crude extracts and isolated pure natural compounds can cause a body weight reduction and prevent diet-induced obesity. Consequently, they have been widely utilized in treating obesity. Methods: A total of sixty imprinting control region (ICR) male mice (39.01 ± 1.03 g BW) were divided into six groups (10 per group) and randomly assigned to either a Normal diet (ND), High fat diet (HFD)+normal saline, HFD +Orlistat (15.9 mg/kg BW/day), HFD+CN500, 1000 and 1500 mg/kg BW/day, and fed daily for three weeks. Adipose cellularity was determined by histological methods (Haematoxylin and Eosin), whereas plasma lipid profiles were measured by using a Hitachi 902 automatic clinical analyzer, meanwhile cytokines with a Benchmark Plus Microplate Spectrophotometer (RT-2100C) and AChE was detected in muscle and heart by using acetylcholine as a substrate. Results: Mice supplemented with HFD+CN1000 and 1500 mg/kg had significantly lower adipocyte area, size, and diameter compared to those fed other diets. The mean adipocyte number of mice supplemented with C. nutans was significantly lower compared to the control groups. Mice fed HFD+CN1500 mg/kg had a greater adipocyte cell count compared with those supplemented with HFD+CN1000 and 500 mg/kg. Supplementation of C. nutans reduced plasma total cholesterol in mice. Diets had no effect on plasma lipid profile. High dose of methanolic extract have more ant obesity properties with better effects on adipocyte cellularity, cytokines, acetylcholinestrase than low dose. In addition, The C. nutans fed mice exhibited decrease but non-significant (P>0.05) in leptin, meanwhile the acetyl cholinesterase activity in the heart and muscle was greater in mice fed C. nutans compared with control groups. Conclusion: Methanolic extract of C. nutans leaves can preclude diet-induced obesity.