Abstract

ANTIOBESITY POTENTIAL OF BOERHAAVIA DIFFUSA ON ANIMAL MODEL OF OBESITY

Charan Singh*, Tarun Virmani, Jyoti Gupta, Reshu Virmani, Deepak Gahlawat, Geeta

Abstract

Boerhaavia diffusa (Nyctaginaceae) is a well-known medicinal plant in traditional Indian medicine as well as other parts of world. Its various parts and especially roots have been used for gastrointestinal, hepatoprotective, and gynecological indications. In Ayurveda texts, more than 35 formulations of different types contain it as major ingredient. In Ayurveda, BD has been classified as ―rasayana‖ herb which is said to possess properties like anti-aging, reestablishing youth, strengthening life and brain power, and disease prevention, all of which imply that they increase the resistance of the body against any onslaught, in other words, providing hepatoprotection and immunomodulation. The aim of present study was to estimate the ant obesity activity of ethanolic root extract of boerhaavia diffusa. Animals were divided into different group’s control, standard, and test group after IAEC approval. Final results of different groups were compared (results of the extract 400 mg/kg) with that of standard drug (Orlistat 10 mg/kg). On the basis of experimental data obtained, it was observed that the root extract showed significant anti-obesity. The result suggests that the ethanolic extract from the whole plant of Boerhaavia diffusa exhibited significant anti-obesity activity.

Keywords: Boerhaavia diffusa, Orlistat, Antiobesity, Rasayana, Ethanolic.