Anti-obesity Effects of Foods Producing Hydrogen Sulfide in Rats Fed a High-Fructose Diet

Abstract

The goal of this research was to determine the impact of garlic oil and leek powder on serum lipid levels and on sonic hedgehog (SHH) signalling pathway in a rat model of hyperlipidemia, to offer evidence supporting the use of diet as a means of preventing hyperlipidemia, and to further investigate the possible health advantages of these two H2S-donors. In this study, 80 males Wistar rats were divided into eight groups, for a period of 18 weeks, the rats were orally dosed with garlic oil and leek powder. Obesity indicators, serum lipid levels, some biochemical, molecular parameters and histopathology of liver tissues were determined. Compared to rats in the obese model groups, the garlic oil and leek powder reduced cholesterol, triacylglycerol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c) and very low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (VLDL-c) levels in the serum (P < 0.05). The garlic oil and leek powder also helped reduce hepatic steatosis and enhance lipid profiles. A reduction was found in the gene expression in the hepatic homogenate of Patched 1 (Ptch1), smoothened (SMO), glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1 (GLI 1), Sonic hedgehog protein (SHH), Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR 4), and nuclear factor kappa kB (NF-kB). On the other hand, there was a significant upregulation in the mRNA expression of hedgehog-interacting protein (Hhip-1), and miRNA 26a which is also a dose- and time-dependent manner. The obtained findings suggested that both garlic oil and leek powder as H2S donor had anti-obesity capabilities that can mitigate the effects of an HFD.