Green and black cardamom in a diet-induced rat model of metabolic syndrome

Both black (B) and green (G) cardamom are used as flavours during food preparation. This study investigated the responses to B and G in a diet-induced rat model of human metabolic syndrome. Male Wistar rats were fed either a corn starch-rich diet (C) or a high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet with increased simple sugars along with saturated and trans fats (H) for 16 weeks. H rats showed signs of metabolic syndrome leading to visceral obesity with hypertension, glucose intolerance, cardiovascular remodelling and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Food was supplemented with 3% dried B or G for the final eight weeks only. The major volatile components were the closely related terpenes, 1,8-cineole in B and α-terpinyl acetate in G. HB (high-carbohydrate, high-fat + black cardamom) rats showed marked reversal of diet-induced changes, with decreased visceral adiposity, total body fat mass, systolic blood pressure and plasma triglycerides, and structure and function of the heart and liver. In contrast, HG (high-carbohydrate, high-fat + green cardamom) rats increased visceral adiposity and total body fat mass, and increased heart and liver damage, without consistent improvement in the signs of metabolic syndrome. These results suggest that black cardamom is more effective in reversing the signs of metabolic syndrome than green cardamom

Anthocyanins in chokeberry and purple maize attenuate diet-induced metabolic syndrome in rats

Objective: Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables as functional foods leads to the reduction of signs of metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study was to measure and compare cardiovascular, liver, and metabolic parameters following chronic administration of the same dose of anthocyanins either from chokeberry (CB) or purple maize (PM) in rats with diet-induced metabolic syndrome. Methods: Male Wistar rats were fed a maize starch (C) or high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet (H) and divided into six groups for 16 wk. The rats were fed C, C with CB or PM for the last 8 wk (CCB or CPM), H, H with CB or PM for the last 8 wk (HCB or HPM); CB and PM rats received ∼8 mg anthocyanins/kg daily. The rats were monitored for changes in blood pressure, cardiovascular and hepatic structure and function, glucose tolerance, and adipose tissue mass. Results: HCB and HPM rats showed reduced visceral adiposity index, total body fat mass, and systolic blood pressure; improved glucose tolerance, liver, and cardiovascular structure and function; decreased plasma triacylglycerols and total cholesterol compared with H rats. Inflammatory cell infiltration was reduced in heart and liver. Conclusion: CB and PM interventions gave similar responses, suggesting that anthocyanins are the bioactive molecules in the attenuation or reversal of metabolic syndrome by prevention of inflammation-induced damage

Mechanisms of enhanced insulin secretion and sensitivity with n-3 unsaturated fatty acids

The widespread acceptance that increased dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), especially alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), improve health is based on extensive studies in animals, isolated cells and humans. Visceral adiposity is part of the metabolic syndrome, together with insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hypertension and inflammation. Alleviation of metabolic syndrome requires normalization of insulin release and responses. This review assesses our current knowledge of the mechanisms that allow n-3 PUFAs to improve insulin secretion and sensitivity. EPA has been more extensively studied than either ALA or DHA. The complex actions of EPA include increased G-protein-receptor-mediated release of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) from enteroendocrine L-cells in the intestine, up-regulation of the apelin pathway and down-regulation of other control pathways to promote insulin secretion by the pancreatic beta-cells, together with suppression of inflammatory responses to adipokines, inhibition of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha actions and prevention of decreased insulin-like growth factor-1 secretion to improve peripheral insulin responses. The receptors involved and the mechanisms of action probably differ for ALA and DHA, with antiobesity effects predominating for ALA and anti-inflammatory effects for DHA. Modifying both GLP-1 release and the actions of adipokines by n-3 PUFAs could lead to additive improvements in both insulin secretion and sensitivity

Proprietà strutturali e distribuzionali dei sintagmi interrogativi in alcuni dialetti italiani settentrionali

Increased consumption of dark-coloured fruits and vegetables may mitigate metabolic syndrome. This study has determined the changes in metabolic parameters, and in cardiovascular and liver structure and function, following chronic administration of either cyanidin 3-glucoside (CG) or Queen Garnet plum juice (QG) containing cyanidin glycosides to rats fed either a corn starch (C) or a high-carbohydrate, high-fat (H) diet. Eight to nine-week-old male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups for 16-week feeding with C, C with CG or QG, H or H with CG or QG. C or H were supplemented with CG or QG at a dose of ∼8 mg/kg/day cyanidin glycosides from week 8 to 16. H rats developed signs of metabolic syndrome including visceral adiposity, impaired glucose tolerance, hypertension, cardiovascular remodelling, increased collagen depots in left ventricle, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, increased plasma liver enzymes and increased inflammatory cell infiltration in the heart and liver. Both CG and QG reversed these cardiovascular, liver and metabolic signs. However, no intact anthocyanins or common methylated/conjugated metabolites could be detected in the plasma samples and plasma hippuric acid concentrations were unchanged. Our results suggest CG is the most likely mediator of the responses to QG but that further investigation of the pharmacokinetics of oral CG in rats is required