Ameliorative Effects of Cyathula prostrata Leaf Extract on Olanzapine-Induced Obesity in Rats

Obesity is a medical condition characterised by accumulation of excess body fat which may lead to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems. The aim of this study was to investigate the ameliorative potential of Cyathula prostrata ethanolic leaf extract (CPLE) on olanzapine-induced obesity in rats. The Rats were randomly distributed into 6 groups, group 1 served as the control and were administered distilled water, groups 5-6 were administered 8 mg/kg bw of olanzapine for 28 days to induce obesity. Rats with body mass index (BMI) ˃ 0.5 g/cm2 were selected, reassigned into five groups, the control remain unchanged and served as group 1, group 2 were treated with distilled water, group 3 were administered orlistat (5 mg/kg bw) and served as the reference, groups 4-6 were orally administered 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg bw of CPLE respectively for another 28 days. Olanzapine exposure resulted into increased in body weight, alterations in lipid profiles, elevated malondialdehyde levels as well as significant alteration (p < 0.05) in activities of creatine kinase, lipase and antioxidant enzymes. Treatment of the rats with CPLE significantly (p < 0.05) reduced weight gain as well as attenuating the olanzapine-induced alterations in lipid profiles, malondialdehyde, creatine kinase and lipase activities. Furthermore, CPLE completely reversed olanzapine-induced alterations in antioxidant enzymes activities which compared favourably with the reference drug. The study concludes that CPLE ameliorates weight gain, hyperlipidemia and oxidative stress by reducing elevated lipase activity and by restoring alterations in lipid profiles, oxidative markers, antioxidant enzymes and creatine kinase activity.