EFFECT OF GUM ARABIC ON OXIDATIVE STRESS MARKERS IN THE LIVER OF HIGH FAT DIET INDUCED OBESITY IN MICE

Obesity is a global health concern associated with high morbidity and mortality. Therapeutic strategies include surgery and synthetic drugs which are costly and may cause serious complications. The anti-obese effect of dietary fiber is generally accepted. Gum arabic (GA) works as a dietary fiber that helps reduce body fat deposition. Yet, the effect of GA on oxidative stress in mice fed with high fat diet induced obesity has not been well studied. In the present study we fed mice either a normal diet (control), low fat diet (low), high fat diet (high) or a high fat diet supplemented with 10% w/w GA (High + gum) for 30 days. Oxidative damage to liver tissue was evaluated by measurement of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes. Activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were significantly (p < 0.05) increased in the GA group compared with high and low fat diet groups. Treatment with GA significantly (p < 0.05) decreased liver malondialdehyde (MDA) while increasing glutathione (GSH) compared with the high or low fat diet groups. The liver of both high and low fat diet groups' mice showed marked degeneration whereas slight degeneration was observed in GA treated mice compared with the control group. The results conclude that GA may protect liver by improvement of antioxidant status.