Résumé
Background: The incidence of obesity is increasing worldwide. The lipid derangements and decrease in nerve conduction velocity are important complications for which a number of treatment options are being considered. In this study, Simvastatin, a hydroxyl methyl glutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor is studied for its effects on these complications of obesity. Methods: The study was a randomised control trial conducted at Islamic International Medical College, Rawalpindi in collaboration with Railway General Hospital, Rawalpindi, and National Institute of Health, Islamabad. Ninety adult male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into three groups with thirty rats in each group. One group of rats was taken as control with normal diet while other two groups were given High Fat Diet [HFD] for the whole study period, i.e., 10 weeks. One of the HFD group was given Simvastatin along with high fat diet for four weeks. Lipid profile was done by enzymatic colorimetric method. Conduction velocity of sciatic nerve was determined with the help of PowerLab® data acquisition system. Results: The two groups with HFD showed more than 25% increase in weight at the end of study as compared to control group. HFD group showed significantly higher lipid profile and decreased sciatic nerve conduction velocity when compared with control. The group that was given Simvastatin showed significant improvement in lipid profile and increased sciatic nerve conduction velocity after 4 weeks when compared with the group that was given HFD without any intervention. Conclusions: Simvastatin is effective for improving the lipid profile and sciatic nerve conduction velocity in HFD induced obesity. Keywords: Obesity, Simvastatin, nerve conduction velocity
Résumé
Objectives: to study the effects of alpha-tocopherol in high fat diet induced obese Sprague Dawley rats on lipid profile including serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoproteins, high density lipoproteins and the sciatic nerve conduction velocity
Methods: the study was a randomized control trial conducted from December 2008 to November 2009. A total of ninety adult male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into three groups, each group having thirty rats. One group of rats was taken as control with normal diet while other two groups were given high fat diet [HFD] for the whole study period i.e. ten weeks. One of the HFD group was given alpha-tocopherol supplementation along with high fat diet for last four weeks. Lipid profile was done after intracardiac blood sampling by total enzymatic colorimetric method. Conduction velocity of sciatic nerve was determined with the help of Power lab data acquisition system
Results: the two groups with HFD showed more than 60% increase in weight at the end of study as compared to control group. HFD group showed significantly higher lipid profile and decreased sciatic nerve conduction velocity when compared with control. The group that was given alpha-tocopherol showed improvement in lipid profile [p-value < 0.001] and increased sciatic nerve conduction velocity [p-value < 0.001] after four weeks when compared with the group that was given HFD without any supplementation
Conclusions: alpha-tocopherol is effective for improving the deranged lipid levels and sciatic nerve conduction velocity in obesity