Lee Index variation and glucose clearance rate in an animal model of obesity with animals supplemented with Ganodema lucidum

The consumption of diets high in sugars and saturated fat are associated with obesity and other comorbidities, as well as glucose intolerance1. Obesity can be influenced by the regular consumption of natural bioactive compounds like those found in Ganoderma lucidum mushroom (GL)2. The main objective of this work is to determine body mass variations (Lee Index) and serum glucose levels in animals fed with diets supplemented with three concentrations of an hydroethanolic extract of GL. The fruiting bodies of GL were provided by Bioreishi- Agricultura Bioliogica, Lda. Forty-eight male mice (C57BL/6) were acquired and divided into 5 groups: G1-Western Diet 0.2% Cholesterol (WD); G2-Western Control (WC); G3-WD+0.7%g/kg of G. lucidum; G4-WD+1.4%g/kg of G. lucidum; G5- WD+2.8%g/kg of G. lucidum. At 7th and 13th weeks of study, the animals were measured (nasoanal distance in cm) in order to calculate the Lee Index (cubicle root of the weight (g)/the nasoanal length (cm) x 1000). Obesity was defined by a Lee index>310. Glucose intolerance test was performed on 4 animals in each group. The animals were fasted overnight and in the early morning, a 50% glucose solution (2g/kg) was injected intraperitoneally. Blood samples were collected one hour before glucose (time zero) administration and 30, 60 and 120 minutes later. Serum glucose was determined with the OGCare equipment. Glucose concentration values at time zero were considered control values. All ethical issues were followed (approval nº 8776). The chemical composition of the extract was profiled by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS. All data were analyzed using the GraphPad Prism® for Windows software (version 7.0). Ganoderic acid H and p-hydroxybenzoic acid were the main triterpenic and phenolic acids found in the extract, respectively. In respect to the Lee index, the values show that all animals in the experimental groups became obese. In both weeks, G5 showed the highest values (353.45 ± 12.43 and 351.77 ± 12.24 respectively). At week 7, G1 and G2 differed statistically (p<0,05) from G5. Although G1 and G2 have the lowest Lee values in both weeks, they are the only ones that increase from week 7 to week 13, in contrast to the groups supplemented with GL. Regarding the glucose intolerance test, recorded glucose values at 30 minutes after the injection were increased in all groups, returning to normal values two hours later. At 13th week, the glucose values were increased in all groups in the 30 and 60 minutes after the intraperitoneal injection. At the end of two hours, the values decreased, but did not return to normal values in all the groups. Although animals in all experimental groups remained obese, animals supplemented with GL decreased their Lee Index. At 7th week the animals showed a normal glucose clearance, but in the last week of the study glucose values did not return to the values initially recorded after two hours, showing that the animals were not able to maintain the glucose clearance rate.This work was supported by VALORIZEBYPRODUCTS Project, reference n.º029152; CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020); Project MicoCoating (PDR2020-101-031472); and L. Barros thanks the national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract. No conflict of interest was declared.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Ganoderma lucidum in an animal model of obesity: preliminary results

Obesity is an emerging health problem worldwide. Hypercaloric or hyperlipidemic diets have been used as models of obesity induction in laboratory animals. Obesity can be influenced by regular consumption of natural bioactive compounds. Mushrooms, such as Ganoderma lucidum (GL), have been used in the human diet since ancient times and include a wide variety of biomolecules with medicinal properties. The main objective of this work was to study the effects of G. lucidum in an animal model of obesity.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Ganoderma Lucidum effects in an animal model of obesity

Obesity is a pandemic disease, and its evolution can be influenced by regular consumption of natural bioactive compounds. Mushrooms, such as Ganoderma lucidum (GL), include a wide variety of biomolecules with potential anti-obesity effects. This work aimed to study the influence of GL in an animal model of obesity. Forty-eight male mice (C57BL/6J) were divided into 5 groups: Group (G)-1-Western Control Diet; G-2-Western Diet 0.2% Cholesterol (WDC); G-3-WDC+0.7g/kg of GL; G-4-WDC+1.4g/ kg of GL; G-5 WDC+2.8g/kg of GL. Water and food consumption were recorded weekly. Animals were weighed individually, and their temperature was measured on the back and abdomen (thermographic camera FLIRE6390). Thirteen weeks later, animals were sacrificed, and organs collected. A liver portion was used for histopathology analysis (ethical approval nº 8776). Chemical characterization of the GL extract was profiled by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS. Ganoderic acid H and p-hydroxybenzoic acid were the main triterpenic and phenolic acids in the extract, respectively. Food and water consumption were no different among groups. All animals showed weight gain (11-16%): animals without GL supplementation showed the highest weight gain (G2 and G1, respectively); the groups with GL showed the lowest weight gain, which decreased as the mushroom concentration increased. Basal and final body temperatures remained constant. Liver weight was different among groups (p<0.05). Microvesicular (39/47; 83%) and macrovesicular fatty changes (steatosis) were the most frequent morphological changes in the liver. Hyperlipidemic diets consumption promoted weight gain and obesity. The higher weight gain in the groups not supplemented with GL suggested its anti-obesity properties. In this study, animals developed steatosis, which was not modified by GL supplementation. However, it should be noticed that the changes in lipid metabolism are reversible, and the differences observed in the liver relative weights, lower in the groups supplemented with GL, suggested an ongoing process of restoring to normal hepatocyte’s phenotype.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio