This study was performed to evaluate anti-obesity potential of Commiphora myrrha resin ethanolic extract (CME) with the respect to expression of leptin, adiponectin and uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) in rats. Control rats fed basal diet. Second group fed basal diet and administered CME (500 mg/kg bw) orally for 14 weeks. Third group fed high fat diet (HFD) for 14 weeks. Fourth group fed HFD and administered CME as second group. Fifth group fed HFD for 8 weeks then fed basal diet and administered CME as third group for another 6 weeks. Phytochemical analysis of CME identified the presence of germacrene B, 1,4-benzoquinone, benzofuran, hexadecanoic acid, 9,12-octadecnoic acid methyl ester, reynosin, 11, 14-eicosadienoic acid, isochiapin B, bisabolene epixod, elemene and 1-heptatriacotanol. High fat diet significantly increased food intake, body weight, hyperglycemia, serum levels of total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, low density lipoprotein and ketone bodies, AST and AST activities, concentration of malondialdehyde and histopathological changes in hepatic tissues. However, it significantly reduced serum levels of high density lipoprotein, leptin and adiponectin, activity of hepatic glutathione reductase (GR) and brown adipose tissue UCP1 protein expression. In contrast, CME ameliorated HFD increased body weight, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, ketonemia, hepatic tissues lipid peroxidation, restored hepatic tissue architecture and enhanced protein expression of leptin, adiponectin and UCP1 and activity of hepatic GR. This study indicated that CME ameliorated HFD induced hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia through normalization of HFD reduced leptin, adiponectin and UCP1 proteins production and antioxidant activity.
Keywords: Commiphora myrrha; UCP1; adiponectin; leptin; obesity.