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Dietary lipids play a major role in many diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases. Recently, the health value of plant oils, particularly heart health, has been recognized. Despite these facts, limited information is available on the potential nutritional and anti-arteriolosclerosis effects of chufa oil, olive oil, and anhydrous milk fat in C57BL/6N mice. In the present study, the effects of olive oil (OO), chufa oil (CO), and anhydrous milk fat (AMF) on 4-week-old C57BL/6N male mice, a model for studies of diet-induced atherosclerosis, were investigated. The AIN-93G-based diet was supplemented with 15% of either OO, CO, or AMF. The final mixture of the diets contained 15% fat, approximately 1.25% cholesterol, and 0.5% sodium cholate. The data obtained showed that most mice had gallstone disease. The highest percentage of the gallstones formed were found in AMF groups (approximately 85.7% of the mice). However, the lowest one was found in the chufa oil group (42.9%), followed by the olive oil group (57.1%). Although the mice’s food intake significantly differed, their body weights did not change during the feeding period. The diet supplemented with CO resulted in a significant reduction in serum cholesterol compared with the other groups. Livers from the CO-fed group showed higher triglyceride levels than those from the AMF group. No significant differences were found in atherosclerotic lesions in the aortic valve between the groups. Collectively, our results show no deleterious nutritional effects of the fats used on C57BL/6N mice fed cholesterol-rich diets. Chufa oil improved cholesterol metabolism and atherogenic index in mice. However, the major issue is the formation of gallstones in all mice, which is most prominent in AMF, followed by olive oil and chufa oil diets.

The consumption of fruit and vegetable juices is widely recognized as a healthy choice across all age groups. Orange, carrot, and aloe vera are renowned for their functional properties and health benefits. In this study, we investigated the potential incorporation of aloe vera gel into blended orange and carrot juices. We also evaluated the resulting mixed probiotic juices (chemical, microbiological, and sensory aspects) during a 14-day storage period at refrigerator temperature. The chemical composition and phytochemical structure of aloe vera gel were examined, followed by an assessment of the biological effects of these healthy juices on diabetic albino rats. The results indicated improvements in total soluble solids, reducing sugars, and total sugars with increasing storage duration. Furthermore, the study demonstrated that incorporating aloe vera into the natural mixed juices enhanced their phytochemical quality. The treatment supplemented with aloe vera gel gave the highest total content of phenolic and flavonoid substances, which were 310 mg of GAE/100 g and 175 mg of quercetin/100 g, respectively. Probiotic strains (Bifidobacterium animalis subsp lactis Bb12, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299V, and Lactobacillus acidophilus L10) exhibited good viable cell counts in orange and mixed orange and carrot probiotics juices with viable counts of 7.42–8.07 log CFU/mL. Regarding sensory attributes, the study found that increasing the ratio of orange juice improved the taste while increasing the ratio of carrot juice enhanced the color in juice mixtures. Incorporation of aloe vera into mixed natural juices also enhanced the reduction of blood glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol, LDL, creatinine, ALT, AST, and urea levels while increasing total protein and HDL levels in diabetic rats. Based on these findings, oranges, carrots, and aloe vera offer the potential to produce new, flavorful, nutritious, and appealing juices. Moreover, this study determined that a functional juice with favorable sensory properties can be created by blending 75% orange juice, 20% carrot juice, and 5% aloe vera gel. Additionally, aloe vera demonstrated greater efficacy as an antidiabetic agent in rats. Further research is suggested to explore the potential advantages of aloe vera gel and probiotic juices in mitigating diabetes and other metabolic syndromes.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is an increasing health threat and often leads to cardiovascular complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate icariin’s ability to combat MetS induced in rats and outline the involved mechanisms of action. Rats were grouped in four batches. The controls received a regular diet and water. MetS was induced in the remaining three groups using a high-salt high-fructose diet. Groups 1 and 2 were given daily doses of saline, while Groups 3 and 4 received 25 and 50 mg/kg icariin, respectively, for 12 weeks in total. The experimental protocol was carried out for 12 weeks consecutively. Icariin significantly decreased body mass index (BMI), adiposity index and body weight. Further, icariin protected against dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, and hyperinsulinemia and improved insulin resistance as given by the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) values. Icariin guarded against the rise in serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). In addition, it significantly inhibited the decrease in mRNA expression of glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) and liver kinase B1 (LKB1). These effects were accompanied by decreased liver content of nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) and enhanced serum levels of phosphorylated 5ʹ-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK). Further, icariin significantly increased p-AMPK/AMPK ratio in liver tissues. Conclusively, icariin offers protection in experimentally induced MetS, partially due to AMPK activation.