In Vietnam, lotus plants are widely grown and some parts of the lotus plant have been used in traditional folk medicine. This herb is easy to find, inexpensive, non-toxic and is appreciated by local residents. However, thus far in Vietnam, few in the population know that lotus leaf can be used to prevent and treat obesity. The present study was designed to evaluate the anti-obesity effects of lotus leaf in mice. | JOURNAL OF SCIENCE OF HNUE Chemical and Biological Sci. 2012 Vol. 57 No. 8 pp. 148-156 This paper is available online at http OBESITY PREVENTION IN MICE THROUGH THE USE OF LOTUS Nelumbo nucifera LEAF TEA Le Thi Tuyet Nguyen Thi Hong Hanh and Vuong Thi Huyen Faculty of Biology Hanoi National University of Education Abstract. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of lotus leaf tea in preventing obesity. Forty eight mice were divided into three experimental groups the control group NM which consisted of normal mice was given a basic diet an experimental group was given a high fat diet OM and an experimental group POM was given a high fat diet along with 15 mL of lotus leaf tea kg body weight which they were to drink each day. The mice were weighed weekly blood lipids were measured in the 6th and 9th weeks and histological samples of the liver and arterial tissues were taken in the 9th week. The results were statistically significant. The animals weight and level of adverse blood lipids triglycerides TG total cholesterol TC and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol LDL-C of the POM sample were much lower than the OM sample and were equivalent the NM sample. The liver and arterial tissues of mice in the POM sample did not display elevated levels of TG TC or LDL-C. This shows a positive association between the ingestion of 15 mL of lotus leaf tea kg day and obesity prevention in mice. Keywords Obesity lotus Nelumbo nucifera mice. 1. Introduction Obesity is simply fatness to a degree higher than overweight which may have an adverse impact on a person s physical and mental health. Obesity has been shown to increase the risk of developing many different health problems including type II diabetes heart disease stroke high blood pressure hypertension high cholesterol hypercholesterolemia certain cancers sleep apnea osteoarthritis gallbladder disease and gallstones fatty liver disease gastroesophageal reflux disease gout and psychological and .
