TITLE:
The Anti-Obesity and Anti-Diabetic Effect of Hibiscus sabdariffa in Meal Form Combination with Bifidobacterium breve 3 in Sprague Dawley Rats
AUTHORS:
Nigel G. Chimbetete, Shantrell Willis, Louis Shackleford, Martha Verghese
KEYWORDS:
Bifidobacterium breve, Hibiscus, Hypolipidemia, Hypoglycemia, Antioxidant, Adipogenesis, Diabetes
JOURNAL NAME:
Food and Nutrition Sciences,
Vol.16 No.9,
September
25,
2025
ABSTRACT: This study evaluated the anti-obesity and anti-diabetic potential of Hibiscus sabdariffa (HS) meal, alone and in combination with Bifidobacterium breve 3 (BB), in female Sprague Dawley rats. Rats were fed diets containing 2.5% or 5% HS, with or without 0.25% BB, followed by a high-fat, high-sugar (HFD) diet until week 40. Treatment groups showed significantly lower weight gain (e.g., HFDBB5M: 21.5 g vs. HFDBB0M: 31.5 g), reduced triglyceride levels (HFDBB2.5M: 29 mg/dL vs. HFD0M: 45 mg/dL), and elevated HDL. HbA1c was reduced in HS + BB-fed rats (HFDBB5M: 6.6% vs. HFDBB0M: 15.3%), alongside increased adiponectin and lower leptin and ghrelin levels. Antioxidant enzymes, including catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione-S-transferase, and glutathione reductase, were significantly upregulated in treated groups, while pro-inflammatory markers (COX-2, IL-1β) were downregulated. These findings indicate that dietary HS and BB synergistically improve metabolic, oxidative, and inflammatory markers, highlighting their potential as complementary dietary strategies for preventing obesity and insulin resistance.