Biochemical and Physiological Parameters in Rats Fed with High-Fat Diet: The Protective Effect of Chronic Treatment with Purple Grape Juice (Bordo Variety)

Protective effects of niacin following high fat rich diet: an in-vivo and in-silico study

Niacin had long been understood as an antioxidant. There were reports that high fat diet (HFD) may cause psychological and physical impairments. The present study was aimed to experience the effect of Niacin on % growth rate, cumulative food intake, motor activity and anxiety profile, redox status, 5-HT metabolism and brain histopathology in rats. Rats were administered with Niacin at a dose of 50 mg/ml/kg body weight for 4 weeks following normal diet (ND) and HFD. Behavioral tests were performed after 4 weeks. Animals were sacrificed to collect brain samples. Biochemical, neurochemical and histopathological studies were performed. HFD increased food intake and body weight. The exploratory activity was reduced and anxiety like behavior was observed in HFD treated animals. Activity of antioxidant enzymes was decreased while oxidative stress marker and serotonin metabolism in the brain of rat were increased in HFD treated animals than ND fed rats. Morphology of the brain was also altered by HFD administration. Conversely, Niacin treated animals decreased food intake and % growth rate, increased exploratory activity, produced anxiolytic effects, decreased oxidative stress and increased antioxidant enzyme and 5-HT levels following HFD. Morphology of brain is also normalized by the treatment of Niacin following HFD. In-silico studies showed that Niacin has a potential binding affinity with degradative enzyme of 5-HT i.e. monoamine oxidase (MAO) A and B with an energy of ~ - 4.5 and - 5.0 kcal/mol respectively. In conclusion, the present study showed that Niacin enhanced motor activity, produced anxiolytic effect, and reduced oxidative stress, appetite, growth rate, increased antioxidant enzymes and normalized serotonin system and brain morphology following HFD intake. In-silico studies suggested that increase 5-HT was associated with the binding of MAO with Niacin subsequentially an inhibition of the degradation of monoamine. It is suggested that Niacin has a great antioxidant potential and could be a good therapy for the treatment of HFD induced obesity.

Effects of two different exercise paradigms on cardiac function, BDNF-TrkB expression, and myocardial protection in the presence and absence of Western diet

Background

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) -tropomyosin-related kinase receptor B (TrkB) signaling is a vital regulator of myocardial performance. Here, we tested the impact of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on heart function, metabolic parameters, and serum/cardiac BDNF (with its TrkB receptor) in animals fed a Western (WD) or regular diet (ND). Further, myocardial expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-18 (IL-18) and cardioprotective molecule heme oxygens-1 (HO-1) were monitored.

Methods

Wistar rats were divided into HIIT, MICT, and sedentary (SED), all fed a WD or ND, for 12 weeks. Heart function, protein expression, and serum factors were assessed via echocardiography, western blotting, and ELISA, respectively.

Results

WD plus SED caused insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, visceral fat deposition, serum BDNF depletion as well as cardiac upregulation of IL-18 and downregulation of HO-1, without affecting, heart function and BDNF-TrkB expression. The cardiometabolic risk factors, serum BDNF losses, and IL-18 overexpression were similarly obviated by HIIT and MICT, although HO-1 expression was boosted by HIIT exclusively (even in ND). HIIT enhanced heart function, regardless of the diet. HIIT augmented cardiac BDNF expression, with a significant difference between ND and WD. Likewise, HIIT instigated TrkB expression only in ND.

Conclusions

HIIT and MICT can cope with myocardial inflammation and cardiometabolic risk factors in WD consumers and, exclusively, HIIT may grant further protection by increasing heart function, BDNF-TrkB expression, and HO-1 expression. Thus, the HIIT paradigm should be considered as a preference for subjects who require heart function to be preserved or enhanced.

Gestational purple grape juice consumption does not change fetal ductus arteriosus constriction in Wistar rats

Grape juice consumption may influence the early occurrence of ductal constriction during pregnancy, since the consumption of foods rich in polyphenols can be linked to the premature constriction of the ductus arteriosus. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of purple grape juice consumption during gestation on fetal ductus arteriosus closure, prostaglandin levels, and oxidative stress markers in Wistar rats. We divided 18 pregnant rats into four groups: a control group (C), a single-dose grape juice group (SDGJ), a two-dose grape juice group (TDGJ) of 7 μl/g body weight per day, and an indomethacin group (I). Blood was collected on gestational day (GD) 0, 14, and 20. Prostaglandin levels were measured, and the livers and hearts were removed from the mothers and fetuses for oxidative stress analysis; histology of the fetal ductus arteriosus was performed. Prostaglandin levels (pg/ml) at GD 20 were (C:1462.10 ± 314.61); (SDGJ:987.66 ± 86.25); (TDGJ:1290.00 ± 221.57), and (I:584.75 ± 46.77). Fetal ductus arteriosus closure occurred only in the indomethacin group. Lipid peroxidation evaluated through thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (nmol/mg protein) in maternal livers was lower in the grape juice groups (C: 4.11 ± 0.76 nmol/mg protein), (SDGJ: 2.34 ± 0.36), (TDGJ: 1.52 ± 0.18), and (I: 4.20 ± 0.76). Sulfhydryls (nmol/mg protein) were lower in the TDGJ group (C:763.59 ± 61.38 nmol/mg protein), (SDGJ:978.88 ± 158.81), (TDGJ:385.32 ± 86.78), and (I:727.72 ± 49.12). Also, superoxide dismutase activity (USOD/mg protein) was higher in fetal hearts in this group: (C:5.29 ± 0.33), (SDGJ:4.48 ± 0.47), (TDGJ:7.35 ± 0.43), and (I:6.00 ± 0.18). We conclude that grape juice consumption in pregnancy does not induce ductus arteriosus closure in the fetus and presented potential antioxidant effects.

The Effect of Cinnamaldehyde on iNOS Activity and NO-Induced Islet Insulin Secretion in High-Fat-Diet Rats

Introduction

Obesity and insulin resistance are associated with alterations in nitric oxide level and insulin secretion. Previous studies demonstrated that cinnamaldehyde (CNMA) improved islet insulin secretion and restored nitric oxide (NO) level, but its underlying mechanisms have not been investigated. This study aimed to investigate the effect of CNMA on inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activity and NO-induced islet insulin secretion in high-fat-diet (HFD) treated rats.

Materials and Methods

Forty male Wistar rats (12 weeks old) were randomly divided into four equal groups, namely, control, CNMA, HFD, and HFD + CNMA. Control and CNMA groups were treated with standard laboratory animals' diet, while HFD and HDF + CNMA groups were fed with an HFD diet enriched with 25% W/W tail fat for 16 weeks. CNMA was administrated orally (20 mg/kg body weight, daily) during the study period. Islet insulin secretion and the inducible NOS activity in the presence or absence of L-NAME (NO synthase inhibitor, 5 mmol/L) were evaluated.

Results

L-NAME-suppressed insulin secretion in control, HFD, and HFD + CNMA groups; however, in the CNMA group, it could not exhibit such effect (P < 0.01). Islets of HFD-treated animals showed significantly higher iNOS activity than controls. CNMA treatment significantly suppressed iNOS activities in CNMA and HFD + CNMA groups compared with control and HFD, respectively.

Conclusion

These results suggest that the beneficial effect of CNMA on insulin secretion might be due to its inhibitory effect on iNOS activity.

Functional Beverages, from Idea to Functionality

The search for, and development of beverages that could be a panacea is one which is several millennia old [...]

Artichoke extracts in cancer therapy: do the extraction conditions affect the anticancer activity?

Background

Artichoke is an edible plant that is grown in the Mediterranean region and is known for its antimicrobial, antifungal, antibacterial, antioxidant and anticancer activities. Different artichoke extraction methods can impressively affect the nature as well as the yield of the extracted components.

Main body

The different methods of artichoke extraction and the influence of the extraction conditions on the extraction efficiency are summarized herein. In addition, cancer causalities and hallmarks together with the molecular mechanisms of artichoke active molecules in cancer treatment are also discussed. Moreover, a short background is given on the common types of cancer that can be treated with artichoke extracts as well as their pathogenesis. A brief discussion of the previous works devoted to the application of artichoke extracts in the treatment of these cancers is also given.

Conclusion

This review article covers the extraction methods, composition, utilization and applications of artichoke extracts in the treatment of different cancers.

Beverages Rich in Resveratrol and Physical Activity Attenuate Metabolic Changes Induced by High-Fat Diet

Consumption of saturated fat causes deleterious effects on health, which could be minimized through physical activity and foods with functional characteristics consumption. The aim of the study was to evaluate the beverage rich in resveratrol consumption and physical exercise in gut microbiota, body composition, lipid peroxidation, interleukin-6 (IL6) concentration and systolic blood pressure (SBP) of rats to the high-fat diet. Wistar rats were fed with control diet, high-fat diet (HFD), HFD and 15 mL solution of resveratrol, HFD and 15 mL of grape juice, HFD and 10 mL of red wine. All animals performed the physical training protocol five days a week. Grape juice and red wine composition were analyzed, SBP, body mass, consumption, adiposity and body composition, gut microbiota, lipid peroxidation and inflammation were evaluated. The grape juice (114.8 ± 22.5 mmHG) and red wine (129 ± 15.8 mmHg) groups showed lower SBP when compared to HFD (216.8 ± 20.6 mmHg) (p < 0.0001). The grape juice group (GJG) (39.1 ± 7) had a higher number of microbiota bands DNA when compared to the other groups (p = 0.002). The GJG (33.7 ± 6.7 pg/mL) presented lower concentration IL6 when compared to high-fat group (47.3 ± 16 pg/mL) (p = 0.003). GJG (4.7 ± 1.2 nmol/L) presented a lower concentration of TBARS when compared to control group (6.1 ± 1.4 nmol/L) and resveratrol group (6.6 ± 0.9 nmol/L), and the red wine group (7.4 ± 1.2 nmol/L) had a higher concentration of TBARS when compared to control group and GJG (p = 0.0001). The consumption of these beverages, especially grape juice, together with physical exercise, was able to promote beneficial changes even in the presence of a HFD.