Antiobesity Activity of Extract, Fractions and Pure Compounds from Husk of Zea mays

Abstract

Zea mays L. (Poacae) husk is used in Ibibio traditional medicine for the treatment of various ailments including diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia and malaria. The aim of this study was to evaluate the husk extract and fractions for obesity preventive activity in rats fed on high fat diet (HFD) to validate its folkloric claims. The ethanol husk extract of Zea mays (187-561 mg/kg) and fractions (hexane, dichloromethane (DCM), ethyl acetate(EA) and methanol, 200 mg/kg) were investigated for in vivo antiobesity activity in HFD-fed rats for 42 day and in vitro inhibitory activity against porcine pancreastic lipase. Orlistat and cetilistat were used as standard drugs. Body weights, body mass index, antherogenic index, lipid profile, blood glucose level, liver function indices and antioxidant biomarkers were parameters measured. Isolation and identification of compounds from active fraction was carried out by column chromatography and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, respectively. The isolated compounds were tested for porcine pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity. The husk extract and fractions caused considerable reduction of serum lipid levels, body and organ weights, antherogenic indices, Blood glucose level, liver function parameters and also increased antioxidative markers levels with the DCM fraction exerting the highest activity. Stigmasterol and stigmasterylpalmitate isolated from DCM fraction demonstrated inhibitory activity against porcine pancreatic lipase. These results suggest that the husk extract of Zea mayspossesses obesity preventive potentials which lay credence to its usage in folkloric medicine in the treatment of dyslipidemia and related diseases.