Modulating obesity-related metabolic dysfunction: Additive effects of Rubi fructus extract and statin in mice

Obesity, marked by excessive adipose tissue accumulation and associated metabolic dysfunctions, remains a major global health concern. Rubi fructus (Chinese name: Fu-pen-zi), the fruit of plants belonging to the Rubus genus, has been traditionally used in Chinese medicine. This study investigates the anti-obesity effects of Rubi fructus (RF) extract and Atorvastatin (AS), both individually and in combination, using a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mouse model. Materials & methods: Twenty-five male Swiss albino mice were randomly assigned to five groups (normal diet, HFD, HFD+RF, HFD+RF+AS, HFD+AS) and treated over a six-week period. The RF and AS were administered at 400 and 5 mg/kg body weight. Post-treatment evaluations included measurements of body weight, abdominal fat mass, serum lipid profiles, hepatic enzyme levels, several organ weights and expression of adipogenic and inflammatory genes. Both RF and AS monotherapies significantly ( p <0.05) reduced body weight gain, abdominal adiposity, organ weight, serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL-C levels, while increasing HDL-C levels. Notably, combined administration of RF and AS produced more substantial improvements across all measured parameters. Liver function was also markedly improved, as evidenced by significant reductions in alkaline phosphatase and aspartate aminotransferase levels. Gene expression analysis demonstrated downregulation of TNF-α, MCP-1, and PPAR-γ, along with upregulation of GLUT-4 in adipose tissue, indicating attenuated inflammation and enhanced insulin sensitivity. Collectively, these findings highlight the synergistic therapeutic potential of RF extract and AS in mitigating obesity and its related metabolic complications.