The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of
boric acid (BA) and
borax (BX) on live weight and
obesity associated molecules including
leptin,
L-carnitine,
insulin-like growth factor 1 (
IGF-I), and
heat shock proteins 70 (HSP70) in rats fed with high-fat diet. A total of 60 rats were equally allocated as ND (normal diet), HF (high-fat diet), HF+BA, HF+BX, ND+BX, ND+BA.
Body weight increases in HF+BA (85 g) and HF+BX (86 g) were significantly lower (p<0.05) compared to HF group (126 g).
Boron treatment decreased serum
L-carnitine level in high-fat diet (HF+BA 11.12 mg/L, HF+BX 10.51 mg/L, p<0.05) compared to HF group (15.57 mg/L), while no change was observed in groups ND+BA (7.55 mg/L) and ND+BX (7.57 mg/L) compared to group ND (8.29 mg/L). Neither BA nor BX supplementation in ND and HF groups altered the serum levels of HSP70 and
leptin. BA and BX supplementation in rats fed HF resulted in a significant reduction in live weight.
Boron compounds altered
L-carnitine and
IGF-1 levels in rats. These results indicate that
boron compounds are beneficial in the treatment of
obesity as well as in the prevention of high-fat diet-induced weight increase. Alterations in serum
L-carnitine and
IGF-1 levels in
boron treated rats also indicate possible role of
boron compounds in energy metabolism in response to high fat diet.