Efek Kombinasi Ekstrak Etanol Batang Serai (Cymbopogon citratus) dan Latihan Slow Interval Training Terhadap Berat Badan, Lingkar Perut, Massa Lemak Perut dan Ekspresi Gen Obrb Leptin Pada Tikus Galur Wistar (Rattus norvegicus) Jantan Model Obesitas

Abstract

Background: Obesity is a global health issue characterized by increased body fat and leptin resistance, which plays a crucial role in regulating appetite and energy metabolism. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the effects of combining ethanolic extract of lemongrass stem (Cymbopogon citratus) and Slow Interval Training (SIT) on body weight, abdominal circumference, visceral fat mass, and hypothalamic ObRb leptin gene expression in male Wistar rats with diet-induced obesity. Methods: The study used a post-test only control group experimental design with 35 male rats randomly assigned into five treatment groups. Obesity was induced through a high-fat diet for six weeks. Treatments were administered for eight weeks, including lemongrass extract (300 mg/kgBW), SIT, and their combination. Results: All treatments significantly reduced body weight, abdominal circumference, and visceral fat mass compared to the untreated obese group. The highest increase in hypothalamic ObRb leptin gene expression was observed in the lemongrass-only group (1.21x), followed by SIT (1.14x), and the combination group (1.08x), although the differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion: These findings suggest that both lemongrass extract and SIT have potential to improve leptin resistance and may be considered as complementary therapeutic strategies for obesity.