Therapeutic Potential of Alkanna tinctoria Root in Ameliorating Obesity-Associated Hepatic, Adipose, and Reproductive Dysfunctions in Diet-Induced Obese Zebrafish.

Obesity is a worldwide metabolic condition linked to various health problems such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and reproductive disorders. Anti-obesity medications currently available on the market exhibit severe adverse effects, which leads to the exploration of safer natural alternatives. Alkanna tinctoria (L.) Tausch is well-known for its excellent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor activities; although, its anti-obesity potential has yet to be comprehensively evaluated. The current study investigated the anti-obesity effects of A. tinctoria root powder using diet-induced obese (DIO) zebrafish as a model organism, through histopathological and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis. Zebrafish were assigned to three groups: control, DIO, and DIO + AT. Obesity was induced in the DIO and DIO + AT groups by overfeeding with brine shrimp, while the DIO + AT group additionally received A. tinctoria powder 30 min before each feeding. Overfeeding with brine shrimp significantly increased body weight gain, change in body mass index (BMI), gonadosomatic index (GSI), and hepatosomatic index (HSI), whereas supplementation with A. tinctoria root powder significantly reduced these parameters, along with hepatic lipid vacuolization area, mean vacuole diameter, adipocyte area, and adipocyte count in the DIO + AT group. Histopathological analysis further demonstrated marked attenuation of hepatic steatosis, restoration of normal liver architecture, and improved ovarian morphology characterized by enhanced follicular development and fewer cystic lesions in the DIO + AT zebrafish relative to the DIO zebrafish. ATR-FTIR analysis revealed the reversal of obesity-associated biochemical alterations, particularly in lipid, protein, carbohydrate, and phosphate-associated spectral regions, suggesting improved metabolic balance in the DIO + AT zebrafish as compared to the DIO zebrafish. These findings demonstrate that A. tinctoria root powder effectively mitigated obesity-associated metabolic, hepatic, adipose, and reproductive dysfunctions while restoring molecular homeostasis. Overall, our study highlights A. tinctoria root powder has promising potential as a natural anti-obesity agent for the management of obesity and its associated metabolic and reproductive complications.