Effects of Emerita brasiliensis flour supplementation on normotensive (Wistar) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR)

ABSTRACT

Several studies characterize the connection of overweight and obesity with chronic diseases. Therefore, new alternatives are being studied for controlling hypertension, such as chitin and chitosan fibers, commonly found on crustacean's carapace like Emerita brasiliensis. Rats from two different strains were divided into control and supplemented groups (n=6). The Wistar strain experiment started with a 14-days baseline period, followed by supplementation of E.brasiliensis flour added to the diet in the doses of 5, 10 and 20%, for a 14-days period each. With the optimal dose of 20%, the study was undertaken with SHR rats, starting with a 7-days baseline period, followed by three weeks of supplementation. Data were evaluated using one-way ANOVA and p<0.05 was significant. There was a clinical reduction of systolic blood pressure on Wistar rats, but only SHR rats showed a significant reduction of systolicblood pressure and total cholesterol, LDL-cho with an increase of HDL-cho. Those findings were not related to body weight changes but, instead they were associated to E. brasiliensis flour effect on serum lipid profile. This study showed that this flour could be an alternative for controlling the hypertension and hypercholesterolemia.