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ACALYPHA INDICA ATTENUATES OBESITY-INDUCED ADIPOSE AND VASCULAR INFLAMMATION VIA MODULATION OF ADIPOKINES AND ENDOTHELIAL ADHESION MOLECULES IN OBESE RATS

RANI WARDANI HAKIM 1,9,10*, DEWI SUKMAWATI 2, NUR RAHADIANI 3, AGIAN JEFFILANO BARINDA 4, DWI RAMADHANI 5, MUHAMMAD ROIL BILAD 6, TRI JULI EDI TARIGAN 7, SRI WIDIA A JUSMAN 8, ERNI H. PURWANINGSIH 1,9, NORMA NUR AZIZAH 9, RIA NUR PUSPA SARI ¹⁰

¹ Department of Medical Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
2 Department of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
3 Department of Anatomical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
4 Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
5 Center for Radiation Safety Technology and Metrology, National Research and Innovation Agency/BRIN, Jakarta, Indonesia
6 Faculty of Integrated Technologies, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam
7 Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo National Referral Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
8 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
9 Drug Development Research Center, The Indonesian Medical Education and Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
10 Master’s Program in Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia

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Obesity-induced chronic inflammation plays a central role in metabolic syndrome progression through adipokine-mediated systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. Acalypha indica (Ai), a polyphenol-rich medicinal plant, has demonstrated anti-inflammatory and metabolic regulatory properties. This study investigated the combined effects of Ai on adipose and vascular inflammation in a high-fructose cholesterol diet (HFCD)-induced rat model. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed HFCD for 16 weeks and treated with Ai extract (400 mg/kgBW/day) for 8 weeks. Evaluated parameters included body weight, Lee index, adipokines (TNF-α, IL-6, leptin, adiponectin), adipose histology through crown-like structures (CLS), and vascular inflammation markers (VCAM-1 and ICAM-1). Molecular docking assessed interactions between Ai compounds and the inflammatory targets TNF-α, VCAM-1, and ICAM-1. Ai significantly reduced TNF-α, IL-6, leptin, and CLS formation. Molecular docking identified nicotiflorin and related flavonoids as key compounds with strong binding affinity toward inflammatory and adhesion molecules. These findings suggest Ai as a potential therapeutic agent for obesity-associated vascular and metabolic complications.