Search results

The effects of Opuntia ficus indica (OFI) cladodes on uricemia level, endothelial dysfunction and oxidative damage were studied in young rats fed a cafeteria diet (CD).

A total of 16 young male Wistar rats (weighing 110 ± 20 g and four weeks old) were divided into two homogenous groups. The first group received a CD containing 50% of hyperlipidic diet and 50% of junk food mix (processed mix: hyper-fat, hyper-salted and sweetened) (CD group), and the second group (CD + OFI nopalitos) received the same diet supplemented with 50 g of fresh OFI nopalitos (young cladodes) for 30 days.

OFI nopalitos regulate the hyperuricemia, improve the endothelial dysfunction by raising the bioavailability of nitric oxide(NO) and reduce prooxidant markers by reducing lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation (p < 0.05) and boosting antioxidant capacity and enhancing the antioxidant enzymes activities (p < 0.05) in blood and aorta tissues of rats early fed with a high-fat diet /junk food.

By-products of OFI have specific functional properties that may be beneficial in metabolic disorders and offer a better alternative with an economic and sustainable development perspective.

By-products of OFI highlight potential functional properties mainly based on its potent antioxidant capacity. By-products of OFI can be used as a promising nutraceutical resource to prevent various metabolic disorders in relation with cardiovascular diseases or hyperuricemia in subjects consuming junk food and or living in the Western society to reach the objectives of health policy and maintain a sustainable health system development.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of whole oat, oat bran and refined oat incorporation in a high-fat diet (HFD) on cardio-metabolic risk biomarkers in rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

T2DM was induced by feeding male rats with an HFD for 10 weeks, followed by a low dose of streptozotocin. T2DM rats were then divided into four homogeneous groups. Three groups consumed an HFD containing 45 per cent (g/100 g diet) whole oat, oat bran or refined oat. The fourth untreated group (control) received the HFD.

The results showed that whole oat and oat bran, compared with refined oat and control, effectively reduced food intake (p < 0.007), arterial blood pressure (p = 0.0001), glycemia (p < 0.001), insulinemia (p < 0.01), glycosylated haemoglobin (p < 0.001) as well as homeostasis insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (p < 0.001). They also improved blood lipid levels and reverse cholesterol transport by reducing serum total cholesterol (p = 0.0001), triacylglycerols (p < 0.05), very-low- (p = 0.0001) and low-density lipoproteins cholesterol contents (p < 0.02) increasing lipids (p < 0.002) and cholesterol excretion (p = 0.0001), and high-density lipoprotein cholesteryl esters (HDL₂-CE) concentrations (p = 0.0001) and stimulating lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) activity (p = 0.0001). Moreover, they attenuated lipid peroxidation by increasing paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) atheroprotective activity (p < 0.05).

In T2DM rats, whole oat and particularly, its bran incorporated into an HFD improves arterial blood pressure, glycemic balance and lipid metabolic pathway by reducing hypertriglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia and increasing atheroprotective activities of LCAT and PON-1. In contrast, refined oat accentuates the risk factors associated with diabetes.

This paper aims to evaluate the protective potential of prickly pear cactus fresh cladodes (opuntia ficus indica (OFI)) on glycemic disorders, dyslipidemia, prooxidant/antioxidant stress biomarkers and reverse cholesterol transport (by evaluating the activity of lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT)) and paraoxonase (PON1) in rats prematurely exposed to cafeteria diet (CD).

Sixteen young rats were divided into two groups fed CD containing 50 per cent of hyperlipidic diet (HLD) and 50 per cent of junk food mix supplemented or not with 50 g of fresh young cladodes of OFI to 100 g of CD, during 30 days.

OFI cladodes supplementation decreased significantly body weight (p < 0.001), food intake (p < 0.05), adipose tissue weight (p < 0.01), fasting glycemia and glycosylated hemoglobin (p < 0.01), homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) and insulinemia (p < 0.001), levels of cholesterol (C) (p < 0.05) and triacylglycerols (TG) (p < 0.01) in serum and in very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL-C p < 0.05 and VLDL-TG p < 0.01) and improves reverse cholesterol transport by increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesteryl-esters concentrations (p < 0.001) and by stimulating LCAT activity. Moreover, they attenuated lipid peroxidation in VLDL and low-density lipoproteins by increasing atheroprotective activity of PON-1 and in liver and adipose tissue by enhancing enzymatic antioxidant defence.

The young cladodes of OFI because of their antiobesity benefits could constitute a novel functional ingredient in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications.

Young cladodes of OFI in rat precociously submitted to a hyperlipidic diet/junk food (cafeteria model) seem to prevent metabolic disorders associated with obesity.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of replacing two different fats on dyslipidemia, glycemic balance and adipose tissue redox status in obese rats.

Obesity was induced by feeding a high-mutton-fat diet during three months. An experimental group (n = 24) was divided into two groups that were fed during one month, 20 per cent of margarine or sardine oil. At Day 30, six rats from each group were sacrificed and the remaining rats were then subjected to a change in diet for one month: margarine was replaced by sardine oil and inversely, and then the rats were sacrificed. Three other groups (n = 6), each fed during two months, 20 per cent of margarine, sardine oil or mutton fat, served as controls.

Substitution of sardine oil by margarine compared to control sardine oil had increased triacylglycerols (TGs), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and isoprostanes (IsoPs) values, but decreased thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and superoxide dismutase activity. Replacing margarine by sardine oil compared to control margarine reduced total cholesterol, TG, HbA1c, TBARS and IsoP contents but enhanced glutathione reductase and peroxidase activities. Nevertheless, comparing with the mutton fat, the two substitutions had improved glycemic and lipidic abnormalities and attenuated lipoperoxidation by enhancing enzymatic antioxidant defense. These favorable effects were better when margarine was replaced by sardine oil.

Substituting margarine with sardine oil seems to attenuate beneficial cardiometabolic risk markers associated to obesity and potentiate efficiency adipose tissue against the oxidative stress induced by the obesogenic diet.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus indica (OFI)) nopalitos on body weight, food consumption, arterial blood pressure, glucidic homeostasis, cholesterol metabolic pathway and tissues redox status in type 2 diabetic (T2D) rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD).

Rats were fed by a HFD containing 30 per cent sheep fat for 10 weeks, after which they were rendered diabetic by an injection of a low dose of streptozotocin (STZ) (35 mg/kg). The diabetic rats were then divided into two groups. The first group consumed the HFD supplemented with 5 per cent (g/100 g diet) of freeze-dried OFI nopalitos (HFD-OFI), and the second group received the HFD without supplementation (HFD).

OFI nopalitos treatment decreased significantly arterial diastolic (−20%; p = 0.0001) and systolic (−16%; p = 0.0001) pressures, glycemia (−14%; p = 0.03), insulinemia (−50%; p = 0.04), glycated hemoglobin (−49%; p = 0.003), homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance (−67%; p = 0.03), cholesterolemia (−31%; p = 0.003), very-low and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (−38%; p = 0.002 and −63% p = 0.0002, respectively); thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and lipid hydroperoxide contents, respectively, in liver (−26% p = 0.02, −20% p = 0.02), adipose tissue (−30% p = 0.002, −25% p = 0.001), muscle (−29% p = 0.003, −25% p = 0.008) and kidney (lipid hydroperoxides only (−28%; p = 0.001) but increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL₂) cholesteryl esters (+61%; p = 0.0001), serum lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase activity (+21%; p = 0.006) and antioxidant enzymes activities (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase) of some tissues (liver, adipose tissue, muscle and kidney).

Freeze-dried OFI nopalitos improves arterial blood pressure, glycemic control, metabolic pathway of cholesterol and redox status in T2D rats.

The present investigation was undertaken to study the potential effects of milk lipids compared to sardine oil on inflammation biomarkers and lipid peroxidation in hypercholesterolemic rats. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Male Wistar rats were fed 20 percent casein combined with 5 percent milk lipids or 5 percent sardine oil and 1 percent cholesterol for 28 days. A control group was fed a standard diet.

No significant difference in serum triacylglycerol (TG) was found in the milk lipids versus sardine oil and control. However, serum TG was reduced (1.7‐fold) with sardine oil compared with the control. Serum total cholesterol (TC) was, respectively, 3.6‐ and 2.5‐fold higher in milk lipids and sardine oil, respectively, compared with control. Compared to sardine oil, TC value was 1.4‐fold higher in the milk lipid. Serum C‐reactive protein (CRP) was elevated (eight‐ and 33‐fold) in the milk lipid and sardine oil compared to control, respectively. However, CRP value was four‐fold lower in milk lipids than those in sardine oil. Compared to sardine oil, iron value was two‐fold higher in milk lipids versus sardine oil. Malondialdehyde content of red blood cell, heart and brain were decreased in milk lipids versus sardine oil (p<0.05). Hydroperoxydes contents in milk lipids were also lower in heart and aorta compared to sardine oil and control (p<0.05).

Milk lipids compared to sardine oil does not modulate the hypercholesterolemia but decreases inflammation biomarkers and seems to protect efficiency of some tissues against the cytotoxic action and oxidative stress of cholesterol enriched diet.

The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the effect of sardine protein on the redox status in rats fed a cholesterol‐rich diet.

Hypercholesterolemic rats were divided into two groups fed diets enriched with cholesterol and containing 20 percent of sardine proteins (SPc) or casein (CASc) for 28 days. A control group was fed a standard diet (CAS).

After 28 days of experiment, no significant difference in serum total cholesterol triacylglycerols and uric acid was found with the three diets. Serum albumin content was, respectively, 2‐fold higher in SPc than those in CASc group. Compared to CAS, this value was 1.3‐fold lower in CASc group. In liver and heart, lipid peroxidation was 1.7‐ and 2‐fold lower in SPc compared with CASc and CAS, respectively. In red blood cells and epididymal fat, superoxide dismutase activity was, respectively, 1.3‐and 3‐fold higher in SPc compared to CASc. Epididymal fat and heart catalase activity were, respectively, elevated (+50 and +79 percent) in SPc than in CASc. Sardine protein decreased nitric oxide levels in heart and epididymal fat (twofold) compared to CASc but compared to control group, nitric oxide value was higher in epididymal fat (2‐fold) and liver (3‐fold).

Sardine protein exerts a beneficial action against oxidative stress caused by dietary cholesterol specifically in the heart by reducing lipid peroxidation and enhancing catalase activity.

The purpose of this paper is to determine the effects of different dietary protein and lipid origins on serum HDL₂ and HDL₃ compositions and lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) activity in growing rats fed a 0.5 per cent cholesterol‐enriched diet with either 20 per cent casein (C), chick pea (CP) or lentil (L) proteins combined to 10 per cent olive (O) or salmon (S) oil for 28 days.

HDL₂ and HDL₃ separation according to Sjöblom and Eklund and LCAT activity according to Glomset and Wright.

Serum total cholesterol was 1.3‐fold lower in CPS than in CPO group. HDL₃ amounts were 2‐ and 1.5‐fold higher in CPO and LO groups, respectively, compared to CO group. HDL₃‐unesterified cholesterol values were, respectively, 2‐ and 5‐fold lower in CPO and LO groups than in CO group, and were threefold decreased in CPS and LS groups vs CS group. HDL₃‐phospholipids in LO group represented 12 and 51 per cent of the CO and CPO group values, respectively. HDL₂‐triacylglycerol amounts were decreased in LO group vs CO group (−67 per cent) and in CPS and LS groups (−62 per cent) compared to CS group. HDL₃‐apolipoprotein A‐I values were lower in LO group vs CO and CPO groups, and in CPS group vs CS group. However, LCAT activity was similar in all the studied groups.

The paper shows that when diets containing casein, chick pea or lentil proteins combined with olive or salmon oil are supplemented with cholesterol, HDL₂ and HDL₃ compositions are impaired despite unchanged LCAT activity. Moreover, if oils modify HDL compositions, dietary proteins play a critical role in these modifications.