Ameliorative Effects of Jojoba Supplementation on High-Fat Diet-Induced Metabolic Disorders and Hepatic Oxidative Stress in Male Rabbits

Abstract

The global rise in metabolic disorders driven by high-fat diets (HFD) represents a major public health challenge. Chronic HFD consumption induces obesity, dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, and severe hepatic oxidative stress due to excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Objective: This study evaluated the dose-dependent ameliorative effects of Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) seed extract against HFD-induced metabolic perturbations and hepatic oxidative injury in a male rabbit model.  Twenty healthy male rabbits were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 5 per group): Control (standard diet), HFD (standard diet + 1% cholesterol), HFD + J200 (HFD + 200 mg/kg Jojoba extract daily), and HFD + J400 (HFD + 400 mg/kg Jojoba extract daily). The experimental period lasted for 6 weeks. At the end of the study, body weight gain, liver index, fasting plasma glucose, and lipid profiles (triglycerides (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) were assessed. Hepatic tissue homogenates were analyzed for lipid peroxidation via malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, alongside the activities of the antioxidant defense system: superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and reduced glutathione (GSH). Chronic HFD intake triggered severe metabolic dysfunction, evidenced by a drastic increase in body weight gain (1.24 ±0.15kg), liver index (4.12 ±0.38%), fasting glucose (8.94 ±0.78 mmol/L), and a significant surge in plasma TG and TC (p < 0.001) compared to controls. Furthermore, HFD collapsed the hepatic antioxidant defenses (SOD, CAT, GPx, and GSH) and elevated MDA levels (4.87 ±0.43nmol/mg protein). Conversely, oral administration of Jojoba extract exhibited robust, dose-dependent protective effects. While the low dose (J200) significantly mitigated these alterations, the high dose (J400) achieved complete statistical normalization of the liver index (3.08 ±0.26%), fasting glucose (6.38 ±0.54mmol/L), plasma TC (2.12 ±0.19mmol/L), and the entire endogenous antioxidant triad, restoring MDA levels toward baseline healthy control values (p > 0.05 vs. Control). These findings demonstrate that Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) extract acts as a potent multi-target therapeutic intervention capable of alleviating diet-induced obesity, systemic metabolic dysfunction, and hepatic oxidative injury through its metabolic-regulating and free-radical scavenging properties.