Antiobesity effect of Biochanin-A: Effect on trace element metabolism in high fat diet-induced obesity in rats.

Imbalanced diets have contributed to the increased prevalence of obesity and other metabolic disorders in the modern world including trace element metabolism. However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood.The present study investigated the effects of Biochanin A (BCA) on the changes in element metabolism induced by HFD-induced obese rats.BCA was administered orally for 30 days to experimental obese rats. Changes in body weight, glucose, insulin resistance and lipid profiles of plasma as well as the level of trace elements (Fe, Zn, Mg and Cu) in various tissues (liver, kidney, heart and pancreas) and hepsidine and heme oxygenase were observed in experimental rats.The administration of BCA elicited a significant (p<0.05) reduction in, glucose, insulin, ferritin, total cholesterol, phospholipids, free fatty acids, VLDL-C, LDL-C, triglycerides and hepsidine. Significant alterations were observed in trace elements level, HDL-C, transferrin, bilirubin and HO -1 level.These findings suggested that HFD results in derangement of trace elements in the tissues of rats fed with HFD. BCA may alleviate the derangement of HFD induced trace elements metabolism by modulating hyperglycemic and insulin resistance status and altering hepcidin and HO-1.