Abstract
Lipid accumulation is the root cause of obesity, which is a global epidemic metabolic syndrome affecting all populations worldwide. Due to the deleterious hepatotoxic and cardiotoxic effects of various antiobesity drugs, the attention now turns on to various natural products for low toxic therapeutic molecules against lipid accumulation. Muntingia calabura is a shrub or tree, whose fruits are edible. This study evaluated the possibility of the ethanol extract from fruits of M. calabura as functional food towards reduction of obesity. Anti obesity and cytotoxic activity of this extract was tested in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. The in vitro antioxidant activity was also tested colorimetrically. Results showed that the ethanol extract of M. calabura fruits has significant oxygen, hydrogen and DPPH radical scavenging activity in vitro. The extract dose-dependently suppressed adipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cell line as indicated by changes in cellular lipid levels evaluated by Oil red O staining. Taken together, these results suggest that the ethanol extract of M. calabura fruits may have antiobesity and antioxidant effects with the potential for use in obesity management in humans.