Evaluation of Food Intake Inhibitory Activity of Aqueous Extract of Sida cordifolia (AESC) and Alcoholic Extract of Withania somnifera (AEWS)

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the food intake inhibitory activity of aqueous extract of Sida cordifolia (AESC) and alcoholic extract of Withania somnifera (AEWS). Both Sida cordifolia Linn. (Malvaceae) and Withania somnifera Linn. (Solanaceae) are widely growing medicinal plants and have been reported to possess a number of medicinal properties.

Background: The food intake inhibition, and in turn the resultant decrease in body weight will effectively decrease the prevalence of metabolic diseases like diabetes mellitus and hypertension.

Materials and Methods: The food intake inhibitory activity of different concentrations of AESC and AEWS (0.5% w/w, 1% w/w and 1.5% w/w) were evaluated by supplementing them with a normal feed of rats for seven days, measuring their body weight and food intake daily and compared with the control.

Results: There was a significant decrease in food intake (P<0.001) and body weight (P<0.01) with 1% w/w and 1.5% w/w of AESC while a decrease in food intake and body weight with 0.5% w/w of AESC was not significant. AEWS showed a significant (P<0.05) decrease in food intake only, but no significant decrease in body weight was observed with AEWS at any dose level. The present investigation of weight reduction and food intake inhibitory activity of the extracts of medicinal plants may support to formulate the herbal products for obesity. However, the present investigation requires clinical trials to substantiate the report.

Conclusion: Both extracts were found to have significant food intake inhibitory activity. However, when compared to AEWS, AESC was found to be more effective in reducing food intake and body weight.