Effect of <i>Prosthechea karwinskii</i> (Orchidaceae) on obesity and dyslipidemia in Wistar rats

Abstract

Background: Prosthechea karwinskii is an endemic Mexican orchid, it’s currently used as decorative element and in the traditional medicine to treat diabetes and some problems related to inflammatory processes.
Aim: To determine antioxidant activity index (AAI) and to validate by the first time and through an rat model the hydroalcoholic extract obtained from Prosthechea karwinskii, a plant used in traditional medicine for treat conditions relate to the metabolic syndrome.
Methods: For in vivo assays 25 weaned male Wistar rats were divided into a control group (CG; n = 5) and a Metabolic Syndrome group (MS; n = 20). The rats of the latter were induced to MS with 40% sucrose in the drink water during 13 weeks. After MS induction this group was subdivided into 4 groups: MS group (n = 5) received sucrose, and three groups receiving 200 mg/kg of body weight of each extract pseudobulb (P, n = 5), leaf (L, n = 5), and flower (F, n = 5). All treatments were followed for 13 days. Blood was collected at the end of the study to measure glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides. AAI were measured in the extracts by the method of DPPH. The results were analyzed using MINITAB 16.1.0, and the statistical significance was determined by ANOVA and a Tukey’s test (P < 0.05).
Results: Leaves (L) extract had highest values in AAI, followed by flowers (F) and pseudobulb (P) extracts. Leaves extract had highest reducing effect on glucose level, while flower extract had highest reducing effect on the cholesterol and triglycerides levels.
Conclusions: The P. karwinskii extracts evaluated here reduces the glycemic and lipidemic parameters in Wistar rats with MS induced. These effects may be attributed to the high antioxidant capacity of the extracts.