Onion Peel Powder’s Impact on the Leptin Receptors in the Hippocampus of Obese Rats

The bioactive components present in onion peel powder are a promising factor in preventing/treating obesity. Overweight/obesity causes metabolic changes, which can lead to leptin resistance in the central nervous system (CNS) and, thus, to structural and functional changes in the brain. <b>Obj...

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Main Authors: Małgorzata Komar, Monika Michalak-Majewska, Radosław Szalak, Agata Wawrzyniak, Waldemar Gustaw, Wojciech Radzki, Marcin B. Arciszewski
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Applied Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/4/1768
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author Małgorzata Komar
Monika Michalak-Majewska
Radosław Szalak
Agata Wawrzyniak
Waldemar Gustaw
Wojciech Radzki
Marcin B. Arciszewski
author_facet Małgorzata Komar
Monika Michalak-Majewska
Radosław Szalak
Agata Wawrzyniak
Waldemar Gustaw
Wojciech Radzki
Marcin B. Arciszewski
author_sort Małgorzata Komar
collection DOAJ
description The bioactive components present in onion peel powder are a promising factor in preventing/treating obesity. Overweight/obesity causes metabolic changes, which can lead to leptin resistance in the central nervous system (CNS) and, thus, to structural and functional changes in the brain. <b>Objectives</b>: The presented study focused on evaluating the influence of a diet supplemented with onion peel powder on the immunoexpression of leptin receptors (LepRs) in the hippocampus in obese rats and the potential anti-obesity role of the onion in the brain. <b>Methods</b>: To induce obesity, the animals were given a high-energy chow containing lard and sucrose. Onion skin powder was used to modify the standard and high-energy diets (10.5 g per rat/week) of Wistar rats in a 14-week experiment followed by a brain IHC study. <b>Results</b>: The effect of the onion diet on the expression of neuronal LepRs and astrocytes in the hippocampus was analyzed. Obese animals receiving onion in the diet showed significant growth in the average number of immunoreactive LepR (LepR-IR) neurons (<i>p</i> = 0.00108) and their average size (<i>p</i> = 0.00168) in the CA1 field of the hippocampus. Meanwhile, in obese rats not given onion peel powder, a significant increase in the average density of astrocytes was observed (<i>p</i> < 0.0001). <b>Conclusions</b>: The increased density of astrocytes in the hippocampus of obese animals can probably have a beneficial effect on brain changes in overweight individuals. The inclusion of onion in the diet of overweight/obese individuals may lead to increased hippocampal neuroplasticity, manifested by changes in the immunoexpression of LepRs. It can be speculated that the observed changes have a protective effect on the CNS structures during obesity, but this undoubtedly requires further research.
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spelling doaj-art-2d9243220eee478e91a0dc962e65ef242025-08-20T02:44:59ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-02-01154176810.3390/app15041768Onion Peel Powder’s Impact on the Leptin Receptors in the Hippocampus of Obese RatsMałgorzata Komar0Monika Michalak-Majewska1Radosław Szalak2Agata Wawrzyniak3Waldemar Gustaw4Wojciech Radzki5Marcin B. Arciszewski6Department of Animal Anatomy and Histology, University of Life Sciences, Akademicka Str. 12, 20-033 Lublin, PolandDepartment of Plant Food Technology and Gastronomy, University of Life Sciences, Skromna Str. 8, 20-704 Lublin, PolandDepartment of Animal Anatomy and Histology, University of Life Sciences, Akademicka Str. 12, 20-033 Lublin, PolandDepartment of Histology and Embryology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Medical College of Rzeszow University, Leszka Czarnego Str. 4, 35-315 Rzeszow, PolandDepartment of Plant Food Technology and Gastronomy, University of Life Sciences, Skromna Str. 8, 20-704 Lublin, PolandDepartment of Plant Food Technology and Gastronomy, University of Life Sciences, Skromna Str. 8, 20-704 Lublin, PolandDepartment of Animal Anatomy and Histology, University of Life Sciences, Akademicka Str. 12, 20-033 Lublin, PolandThe bioactive components present in onion peel powder are a promising factor in preventing/treating obesity. Overweight/obesity causes metabolic changes, which can lead to leptin resistance in the central nervous system (CNS) and, thus, to structural and functional changes in the brain. <b>Objectives</b>: The presented study focused on evaluating the influence of a diet supplemented with onion peel powder on the immunoexpression of leptin receptors (LepRs) in the hippocampus in obese rats and the potential anti-obesity role of the onion in the brain. <b>Methods</b>: To induce obesity, the animals were given a high-energy chow containing lard and sucrose. Onion skin powder was used to modify the standard and high-energy diets (10.5 g per rat/week) of Wistar rats in a 14-week experiment followed by a brain IHC study. <b>Results</b>: The effect of the onion diet on the expression of neuronal LepRs and astrocytes in the hippocampus was analyzed. Obese animals receiving onion in the diet showed significant growth in the average number of immunoreactive LepR (LepR-IR) neurons (<i>p</i> = 0.00108) and their average size (<i>p</i> = 0.00168) in the CA1 field of the hippocampus. Meanwhile, in obese rats not given onion peel powder, a significant increase in the average density of astrocytes was observed (<i>p</i> < 0.0001). <b>Conclusions</b>: The increased density of astrocytes in the hippocampus of obese animals can probably have a beneficial effect on brain changes in overweight individuals. The inclusion of onion in the diet of overweight/obese individuals may lead to increased hippocampal neuroplasticity, manifested by changes in the immunoexpression of LepRs. It can be speculated that the observed changes have a protective effect on the CNS structures during obesity, but this undoubtedly requires further research.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/4/1768onionbioactive compoundsobesityleptin receptorhippocampus
spellingShingle Małgorzata Komar
Monika Michalak-Majewska
Radosław Szalak
Agata Wawrzyniak
Waldemar Gustaw
Wojciech Radzki
Marcin B. Arciszewski
Onion Peel Powder’s Impact on the Leptin Receptors in the Hippocampus of Obese Rats
Applied Sciences
onion
bioactive compounds
obesity
leptin receptor
hippocampus
title Onion Peel Powder’s Impact on the Leptin Receptors in the Hippocampus of Obese Rats
title_full Onion Peel Powder’s Impact on the Leptin Receptors in the Hippocampus of Obese Rats
title_fullStr Onion Peel Powder’s Impact on the Leptin Receptors in the Hippocampus of Obese Rats
title_full_unstemmed Onion Peel Powder’s Impact on the Leptin Receptors in the Hippocampus of Obese Rats
title_short Onion Peel Powder’s Impact on the Leptin Receptors in the Hippocampus of Obese Rats
title_sort onion peel powder s impact on the leptin receptors in the hippocampus of obese rats
topic onion
bioactive compounds
obesity
leptin receptor
hippocampus
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/4/1768
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