A MUFA/carotenoid-rich oil ameliorated insulin resistance by improving inflammation and oxidative stress in obese rats.

Obesity is associated with low-grade inflammation and oxidative stress, leading to insulin resistance and type II diabetes. Caryocar brasiliense pulp oil (pequi oil - PO) is rich in oleic acid and carotenoids and positively implicated in regulating inflammation and oxidative stress. This study investigated PO's antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in a diet-induced obesity model. Male Wistar rats were allocated into three experimental groups: Control (CD), Western Diet (WD), and Western Diet, with 27% of lard switched by PO (WDP). Metabolic, inflammatory, and oxidative stress biomarkers were evaluated after 12 weeks of diet protocols in liver and adipose tissue. WDP rats gained less body mass and epididymal fat, had less hepatic fat infiltration, and were more glucose-tolerant and insulin-sensitive than WD (p < 0.05). In the liver, the WDP group had the highest non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity, SOD and GPx activities, CAT, SOD II, and HSP72 expression compared to WD (p < 0.05). Adipose tissue IL-6 and TNF were reduced, and IL-10 was increased in WDP compared to WD (p < 0.05). Our data suggest that the partial replacement of lard by PO in a Western diet prevented visceral fat accumulation and contributed to reducing inflammation in adipose tissue and liver oxidative stress, improving obesity-related insulin resistance.

Cardioprotective effects of severe calorie restriction from birth in adult ovariectomized rats.

AIMS: Menopause is a female condition induced by a reduction of ovarian hormone and is related to an increase in cardiovascular diseases in women. We have shown that severe calorie restriction (SCR) from birth reduces the cardiometabolic risk in adult male Wistar rats. In this study, we investigated the effects of SCR from birth to adulthood on cardiovascular function of ovariectomized rats. MAIN METHODS: From birth to adulthood, rats were daily fed ad libitum (control group - C) or with 50% of the amount consumed by the control group (calorie-restricted group - R). At 90 days, half of the rats in each group underwent bilateral ovariectomy (OVX), totaling 4 groups: C-Sham, C-OVX, R-Sham, R-OVX. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), heart rate (HR) and, double product (DP) index were recorded by tail-cuff plethysmography. Cardiac function was analyzed by the Langendorff technique and cardiomyocyte diameter was accessed by histologic analysis. Additionally, cardiac SERCA2 content and redox status were evaluated. KEY FINDINGS: C-OVX rats exhibited reduced cardiac function and cardiac non-enzymatic total antioxidant capacity (TAC). R-Sham animals showed reduced SBP, DP, HR, improved cardiac function, reduced cardiac protein carbonyl derivatives and increased TAC, catalase, and superoxide dismutase activities. R-OVX rats maintained reduced SBP, DP, HR, and increased contractility and relaxation indexes. R-Sham and R-OVX rats exhibited preserved heart mass and reduced cardiomyocyte diameter. Cardiac SERCA2 content did not differ between the groups. SIGNIFICANCE: Taken together, our findings show cardioprotective effects of SCR from birth in adult ovariectomized rats.