الفهرس 
Chapter I IntroductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
The present study was undertaken to elucidate the effectiveness of Astragalus spinosus (AS) mixed extract in ameliorating high-fat diet (HFD) provoked metabolic stress and inflammation. In addition, the current study was conducted to generate a molecular fingerprint for this species in two successive growth periods using the amplified fragment length polymorphism technique (AFLP) with four primer combinations. The target of the research was fulfilled by investigating serum lipid profile, inflammatory markers [tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and adrenomedullin (ADM)], oxidative stress markers (malondialdehyde and total antioxidant capacity) and diabetic profile [glucose, insulin, and insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR)]. Also, the relative gene expression of perilipin A and sucrose non-fermenting related kinase genes were quantified in adipose tissue using qPCR. Astragalus spinosus mixed extract treatment of mice has shown an impact on the body weight with liver and adipose tissues relative weights.
Additionally, it has secured against inflammation and attenuated HFD-induced complications by modulating the levels of lipid profiles, inflammatory markers, oxidative stress markers, and the diabetic profile. Moreover, AS extract reduced the expression levels of perilipin A and sucrose non-fermenting kinase genes, which were more obvious in the protective group. Histological examination revealed that AS extract treatment effectively retained the normal architecture of the liver and adipose tissues. Furthermore, the molecular fingerprint revealed minute variations among AS samples regardless of different collecting periods.
In conclusion, the data obtained in the current research ascertained the effectiveness of AS mixed extract in ameliorating HFD-induced complications, suggesting the potential use of AS as a dietary supplement in treating obesity. In addition, the current work confirmed the accuracy and reliability of the AFLP technique in constructing an accurate genomic picture of the investigated plant.