Search

This study aimed to investigate the effects of oral administration of Platonia insignis Mart. (“bacuri”) seed butter (BSB) on oxidative stress and diabetes mellitus-related parameters in streptozotocin-induced (STZ) diabetic rats. Diabetes mellitus was induced in female Wistar rats (180–250 g) by the intraperitoneal administration of STZ (45 mg/kg, b.w). BSB (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg) was administered to animals for four weeks. The effect on weight gain, food intake, blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, hepatic transaminases, plasma and liver TBARS and MPO activity, erythrocyte SOD activity, non-protein sulfhydryl groups (SH-NP), and histopathology of the liver tissue was investigated. BSB at the dose of 100 mg/kg had a positive effect on the reduction in glycated hemoglobin percentage and increased albumin concentration, as well as decreased ALT and AST levels and increased SH-NP liver levels in treated animals compared to normal control rats. Moreover, BSB had no effects on weight gain, food intake, and fasting glucose. Thus, the BSB presented marked properties in improvement of hepatic antioxidant defenses, which demonstrates BSB as a potential hepatoprotective agent in metabolic disorders.

Atherosclerosis is a cardiovascular disease associated with abnormalities of vascular functions. The consumption of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids can be considered a strategy to reduce clinical events related to atherosclerosis. In the present study, we investigated the effects of supplementation with 310 mg of ω-3 PUFAs (2:1 eicosapentaenoic/docosahexaenoic acids) for 56 days on rats with hypercholesterolemia induced by a diet containing cholesterol (0.1%), cholic acid (0.5%), and egg yolk. Serum biochemical parameters were determined by the enzymatic colorimetric method. Assessment of vascular effects was performed by analysis of histological sections of the heart and aortic arch stained with hematoxylin and eosin and vascular reactivity of the aorta artery. We observed that treatment with ω-3 PUFAs did not promote alterations in lipid profile. On the other hand, we documented a favorable reduction in liver biomarkers, as well as contributions to the preservation of heart and aortic arch morphologies. Interestingly, the vascular reactivity of rat thoracic aortic preparations was improved after treatment with ω-3 PUFAs, with a decrease in hyperreactivity to phenylephrine and increased vasorelaxation promoted by acetylcholine. Our findings suggest that the supplementation of hypercholesterolemic rats with ω-3 PUFAs promoted improvement in liver and vascular endothelial function as well as preserving heart and aortic tissue, reinforcing the early health benefits of ω-3 PUFAs in the development of atherosclerotic plaque and further related events.