The Role of Ipomoea batatas Leaves Extract as a Potent Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory in Rats Fed High-fat Diet

Ipomoea batatas L purple variant is a natural source of bioactive compounds with strong antioxidant activity and has long been used in folk medicine. This study aimed to evaluate the active compounds, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities of Ipomoea batatas L purple variant leaf extract in rats fed a high-fat diet. The presence of active compounds in the Ipomoea batatas L purple variant was determined by liquid chromatography high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). The rats were divided into five experimental groups of six animals in each group. Namely standard diet/normal group (SD), high-fat diet group (HFD), and HFD plus extracts (625; 1250; or 2500 mg/kg) groups for twelve weeks. The effect of leaf extract on antioxidant activity was analyzed using the DPPH assay, while oxidative stress and anti-inflammatory analysis were performed by immunohistochemistry. LC-HRMS analysis showed six active compounds were identified from Ipomoea batatas L. Besides, there is a reduction in oxidative stress through malondialdehyde (MDA) expression on the oral supplementation with Ipomoea batatas leaf purple variant extract doses of 1250 and 2500 mg/kg body weight. Meanwhile, all extract doses can significantly increase antioxidant activities such as nuclear factor-erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Nrf-2) expression, superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) expression, and decrease pro-inflammatory such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) expression in the aorta. Taken together, these findings provide a basis for the recommendation of compounds from the supplementation of an Ipomoea batatas L purple variant leaf extract can be an alternative herbal therapy to inhibit the harmful effects of a high-fat diet.