Astaxanthin administration reduces body weight and abdominal fat weight, but does not lower the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio in obese male rats (rattus norvegicus)

Abstract

Obesity has been known as global health. Astaxanthin is an antioxidant which also has an anti-obesity effect. This research aimed to identify the effect of astaxanthin on body weight, abdominal fat weight, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in obese male Wistar rats. A group of male Wistar rats was divided into three and fed either a standard or high-fat diet. Twenty-eight days later, rats in the high-fat diet group were divided into two and treated with astaxanthin 6 mg/kg body weight in glycerin or glycerin alone. On the 74th day, body weight and abdominal fat weight were measured. 1cc blood sample was obtained from medical canthus sinus orbitalis to perform a routine blood count (NLR). The results showed that body weight in the treatment group was lower than in the placebo group (p<0.001 95%CI 41.16–82.84). Consistently, the abdominal fat weight in the treatment group was also lower in the placebo group (p<0.009 95%CI 0.34–2.13). Furthermore, NLR’s mean was not statistically significant (p<0.118). Astaxanthin reduces body weight and abdominal fat weight but does not lower NLR in obese male Wistar rats.