Beneficial Effects of Clitoria ternatea Flower and Citrus limon Fruit Beverage on Nutritional Status, Lipid Profile, and Adipokine Parameters on Male Rats With Obesity

TL;DR

A herbal beverage made from butterfly pea flowers and lemon fruits helps reduce body weight and fat in obese male rats by improving lipid and hormone levels.

Contribution

This study is the first to investigate the combined effects of Clitoria ternatea and Citrus limon as an herbal beverage on obesity-related parameters in rats.

Findings

The 85:15% BPL formulation reduced body weight and Lee index the most.

The BPL beverage lowered triglyceride and leptin levels in obese rats.

BPL modulates lipid metabolism and hormonal regulation to combat obesity.

Abstract

Butterfly pea flowers (Clitoria ternatea L.) and lemon fruits (Citrus limon) are rich in phytochemicals and have shown potential anti‐obesity effects. However, the combination of these two medicinal plants as an herbal beverage has not been extensively studied.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an herbal beverage composed of butterfly pea flowers and lemon fruits (BPL) on body weight (BW), Lee index (LI), body fat content (BFC), lipid profile (total cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein‐cholesterol [LDL‐C], high‐density lipoprotein‐cholesterol [HDL‐C], and triglycerides [TGs]), leptin levels, and DPP4 activity in obese male Wistar rats.

A pre‐ and post‐test experimental design was conducted using 40 obese male Wistar rats, divided into five groups: NC (negative control, given 3 mL/day mineral water), positive control (PC, given 3 mL/day plant stanol ester), BPL1 received 3 mL/day BPL 75:25%, BPL2 received 3 mL/day BPL 80:20%, and BPL3 received 3 mL/day BPL 85:15%. All treatments were administered orally via gastric probe for 21 days. Data were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests to assess significant differences.

The BPL3 group showed the greatest reduction in BW and LI. The BPL1 group had the greatest reduction in TG levels, followed by the BPL3 group. The greatest reduction in leptin levels was found in the BPL2 group, followed by the BPL3 group.

Oral administration of BPL herbal beverage with 85:15% formulation reduces BW and LI through the modulation of lipid metabolism and hormonal regulation.

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