Effect of Red Ginger Extract Prepared Using a Natural Deep Eutectic Solvent on Body Weight and Obesity-Related Parameters in Rats Fed an Atherogenic Diet

Abstract

This study evaluated the anti-obesity effects of red ginger (Zingiber officinale var. rubrum) extract prepared using Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (RGE-NADES) in rats fed an atherogenic diet (AD). Zingiber officinale var. rubrum rhizomes were extracted via ultrasound-assisted extraction using a betaine-lactic acid NADES (1:2 ratio) at a 1:30 solid-to-solvent ratio. Twenty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups (n = 4): normal control, negative control (AD), orlistat (2.16 mg/kg BW), RGE-NADES 25 mg/kg BW, and RGE-NADES 50 mg/kg BW. Treatments and diets were administered over 14 days, during which body weight, nasoanal length, and food intake were monitored. End-of-study assessments included the Lee obesity index, adiposity index, and relative organ indices. Compared with the negative control group, both RGE-NADES doses significantly reduced body weight and the Lee obesity index (p < 0.05), with decreases of 10.31% (25 mg/kg) and 8.68% (50 mg/kg), respectively. Food intake and adiposity index were also lower in the treatment groups, with a statistically significant reduction in adiposity index observed specifically at 25 mg/kg. Importantly, RGE-NADES administration did not produce significant differences in relative heart, liver, or kidney indices across groups (p > 0.05). Overall, RGE-NADES effectively mitigates body weight gain and obesity indicators in AD-fed rats over a 14-day period without adversely affecting major organ weights.