The effect of aqueous extract of caraway seed (<i>Carum carvi</i>) on cholecystokinin hormone in male rat

Abstract

Introduction: Today, obesity is considered as one of the problems of human society. Obesity is the underlying cause of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular  disease, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia and hormone disruption. In addition to physiological problems, obesity leads to impaired psychosocial dimensions and reduced quality of life. Cholecystokinin is an anti-appetite peptidpe that plays a key role in the regulation of energy balance. Given the antioxidant and anti-appetite effects of caraway, the objective of this study is to investigate the impact of aqueous extract of caraway seed (carum carvi) on cholecystokinin hormone in male rat.

Method: In this experimental study, 32 adult female Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups of 8 including control, yardstick, and experiment recipient of caraway (at concentrations of 60 and 90 mg/kg).Caraway was administered to the animals by gavage. In the fifty-seventh days after the start of the experiment, the animals were weighed, blood samples were taken from heart, and serum levels of cholecystokinin hormone and lipid parameters were measured. The results were analyzed using statistical ANOVA test and Duncan's test at significance level of p≤0.05.

Results: The mean concentration of cholecystokinin hormone in the group receiving caraway at concentrations of 60 and 90 mg/kg showed significant increase  compared to the control group. The average concentration of triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL concentrations in the groups receiving caraway of 60 and 90 mg/kg showed a significant decrease compared to the control group. The average concentration of HDL in the group receiving caraway with a concentration of 60 and 90 mg/kg showed no significant difference with the control group.

Conclusion: caraway due to the antioxidant effects leads to increased  cholecystokinin hormone secretion and reduced triglyceride, total cholesterol, and LDL in the rats. Caraway is a medicinal plant used in Iranian traditional medicine as a treatment for overweight and obesity. Black cumin (caraway) is perennial herb of umbelliferae family with the scientific name carum carvi or Bunium persicus boiss (6). The results of purification and studying combinations of caraway show that the aqueous phase of this product has 19 monoterpenoids and a variety of its  compounds: aromatic, flavonoids, and nucleoside glucoside. The main components of this essential oil extracted from caraway seeds, which are among the  monoterpenes, have anti-inflammatory properties, and oral administration of them
reduces the effects of intestinal inflammation in rats (7). This plant in traditional medicine has uses in antifouling of muscles, carminative, appetizer, mucus, increasing milk secretion, and in food industry is used as a flavoring (8). Antifungal (9), antimicrobial (10), antispasmodic (11), analgesic and anti-inflammatory (12) and the anticonvulsant (13) effects of compounds in caraway extract have been approved. It is reported that aqueous extract of caraway lowers blood lipids level (14) and weight loss effects in normal and diabetic rats have been demonstrated (15). Due to the effect of this plant on weight loss and that no study on the impact of caraway on cholecystokinin hormone, which as noted is called satiety peptide, this
study will be conducted aimed at studying the impact of caraway on cholecystokinin
hormone.

keywords: aqueous extract; cholecystokinin hormone; caraway seed (carum carvi).