Abstract
Objective: To determine the effect of Ajwa date seed powder on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in high fat fed rats.
Methodology: We randomly divided 36 Sprague-Dawley female into 3 groups. Control group was given standard rat chow for period of 12 weeks. High fat diet (HFD) group received high fat diet, while experimental group (HFD+ADS) was fed with 2% Ajwa date seed powder added in high fat diet throughout the study duration. Rats were sacrificed after 12 weeks of study and livers were resected, weighed and formalin fixed for histological examination.
Results: The treated group showed reduction from grade 3 to grade 1 in steatosis, inflammation, fibrosis and necrosis of hepatocytes. (p˂0.001). The mean body weight also decreased significantly in comparison to the disease control group (p˂0.05).
Conclusion: Addition of Ajwa date seed powder to diet can prevent weight gain and high fat diet induced injury to the liver. It can be used as a nutraceutical agent to prevent central obesity and related diseases.

Key words: NAFLD, fatty liver, hepatic steatosis, obesity, lipogenesis.