Boric acid and Borax Supplementation Reduces Weight Gain in Overweight Rats and Alter L-Carnitine and IGF-I Levels.

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.