Effects of 2 or 5 consecutive exercise days on adipocyte area and lipid parameters in Wistar rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Exercise has been prescribed in the treatment and control of dyslipidemias and cholesterolemia, however, lipid responses to different training frequencies in hypercholesterolemic men have been inconsistent. We sought to verify if different frequencies of continuous moderate exercise (2 or 5 days/week, swimming) can, after 8 weeks, promote adaptations in adipocyte area and lipid parameters, as well as body weight and relative weight of tissues in normo and hypercholesterolemic adult male rats.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Normal cholesterol chow diet or cholesterol-rich diet (1% cholesterol plus 0.25% cholic acid) were freely given during 8 weeks to the rats divided in 6 experimentals groups: sedentary normal cholesterol chow diet (C); sedentary cholesterol-rich diet (H); 5× per week continuous training normal cholesterol chow diet (TC5) and cholesterol-rich diet (TH5); 2× per week continuos traning normal cholesterol chow diet (TC2) and cholesterol-rich diet (TH2).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>No changes were observed in lipid profile in normal cholesterol chow diet, but both 2 a 5 days/week exercise improved this profile in cholesterol-rich diet. Body weight gain was lower in exercised rats. Decrease in retroperitoneal and epididymal relative weights as well as reductions in adipocyte areas under all diets types were observed only in 5 days/week, while 2 days/week showed improvements mainly in cholesterol-rich diet rats.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results confirm the importance of exercise protocols to control dyslipidemias and obesity in rats. The effects of 5 days/week exercise were more pronounced compared with those of 2 consecutive days/week training.</p

Effects of isoflavone-supplemented soy yogurt on lipid parameters and atherosclerosis development in hypercholesterolemic rabbits: a randomized double-blind study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is increasing interest in natural treatments to control dyslipidemia and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Previous studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of soy yogurt fermented with <it>Enterococcus faecium </it>CRL 183 and of dietary isoflavones on the lipid profile. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of isoflavone-supplemented soy yogurt, fermented with <it>E. faecium </it>CRL183, on lipid parameters and atherosclerosis development in rabbits with induced hypercholesterolemia.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Forty-eight rabbits were randomly assigned to eight groups fed on the following diets for 60 days: C - control; IY - isoflavone-supplemented soy yogurt; H - hypercholesterolemic (1.0% cholesterol wt/wt diet); HY - hypercholesterolemic plus soy yogurt; HIY - hypercholesterolemic plus isoflavone-supplemented soy yogurt; HP - hypercholesterolemic plus placebo; HI - hypercholesterolemic plus isoflavone and HE - hypercholesterolemic plus pure culture of <it>E. faecium </it>CRL 183. Serum lipids and autoantibodies against oxLDL (oxLDL Ab) were analyzed on days 0, 30 and 60 of the treatment and the atherosclerotic lesions were quantified at the end of the experiment.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Soy yogurt, soy yogurt supplemented with isoflavones and placebo promoted significant reductions in total cholesterol level (38.1%, 27.0% and 26.6%, respectively). Significant increases in serum HDL-C concentration relative to group H were detected in animals that ingested soy yogurt, with or without the isoflavone supplement (55.2%), <it>E. faecium </it>culture (43.3%) or placebo (35.8%). Intake of soy yogurt and soy yogurt supplemented with isoflavones prevented the rise of oxLDL Ab during the study period. The extent of atherosclerosis in the thoracic and abdominal aortas was reduced in the HIY, HY and HP groups. However, when the whole aorta was analyzed, animals treated with soy yogurt supplemented with isoflavones exhibited the greatest reduction (51.4%, P < 0.05) in atherosclerotic lesion area, compared to group H.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Soy yogurt could be consumed as an alternative means of reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease by improving the lipid profile and inhibiting oxLDL Ab formation. Our findings also suggest that isoflavone supplementation may enhance the antiatherosclerotic effect of soy yogurt.</p

Influence of a probiotic soy product on fecal microbiota and its association with cardiovascular risk factors in an animal model

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Previous work showed that daily ingestion of an aqueous soy extract fermented with <it>Enterococcus faecium </it>CRL 183 and <it>Lactobacillus helveticus </it>416, supplemented or not with isoflavones, reduced the total cholesterol and non-HDL-cholesterol levels, increased the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) concentration and inhibited the raising of autoantibody against oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL Ab) and the development of atherosclerotic lesions.</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>The aim of this study was to characterize the fecal microbiota in order to investigate the possible correlation between fecal microbiota, serum lipid parameters and atherosclerotic lesion development in rabbits with induced hypercholesterolemia, that ingested the aqueous soy extract fermented with <it>Enterococcus faecium </it>CRL 183 and <it>Lactobacillus helveticus </it>416.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The rabbits were randomly allocated to five experimental groups (n = 6): control (C), hypercholesterolemic (H), hypercholesterolemic plus unfermented soy product (HUF), hypercholesterolemic plus fermented soy product (HF) and hypercholesterolemic plus isoflavone-supplemented fermented soy product (HIF). Lipid parameters and microbiota composition were analyzed on days 0 and 60 of the treatment and the atherosclerotic lesions were quantified at the end of the experiment. The fecal microbiota was characterized by enumerating the <it>Lactobacillus </it>spp., <it>Bifidobacterium </it>spp., <it>Enterococcus </it>spp., Enterobacteria and <it>Clostridium </it>spp. populations.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>After 60 days of the experiment, intake of the probiotic soy product was correlated with significant increases (P < 0.05) on <it>Lactobacillus </it>spp., <it>Bifidobacterium </it>spp. and <it>Enterococcus </it>spp. and a decrease in the Enterobacteria population. A strong correlation was observed between microbiota composition and lipid profile. Populations of <it>Enterococcus </it>spp., <it>Lactobacillus </it>spp. and <it>Bifidobacterium </it>spp. were negatively correlated with total cholesterol, non-HDL-cholesterol, autoantibodies against oxidized LDL (oxLDL Ab) and lesion size. HDL-C levels were positively correlated with <it>Lactobacillus </it>spp., <it>Bifidobacterium </it>spp., and <it>Enterococcus </it>spp. populations.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In conclusion, daily ingestion of the probiotic soy product, supplemented or not with isoflavones, may contribute to a beneficial balance of the fecal microbiota and this modulation is associated with an improved cholesterol profile and inhibition of atherosclerotic lesion development.</p

Effects and toxicity of Eugenia punicifolia extracts in streptozotocin-diabetic rats

Extracts and decoctions of Eugenia jambolana Lam., Eugenia uniflora L., and Eugenia punicifolia (Humb., Bonpl. & Kunt) DC. are used in traditional medicine to treat diabetes mellitus. Although there have been reports that Eugenia jambolana and Eugenia uniflora have antidiabetic effects, no study has yet been made on Eugenia punicifolia . We investigated the effects of aqueous, butanol, and methanol extracts of Eugenia punicifolia leaves administered by gavage to streptozotocin-diabetic rats for 26 to 29 days. Body weight, food and fluid intake, urine volume, and urinary glucose and urea were evaluated every 7 days. At the end of the experiment, we measured serum cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, triglycerides and bilirubin, hepatic glycogen and serum marker-enzymes (alanine and aspartate aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, L-lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, alpha-amylase, and angiotensin I converting enzyme). We found that in rats treated with the aqueous extracts, food and liquid intake, urinary volume, and body weight were all reduced, while for rats treated with the methanol extract, not only were liquid intake, urinary volume and body weight reduced, but urinary glucose and urea also decreased. Rats treated with the butanol extract showed no significant alterations in any of the parameters measured. Chronic treatment with extracts had no effect on the marker enzymes nor on serum bilirubin levels. The results indicate that aqueous extracts of Eugenia punicifolia leaves produced an anorexic effect and that methanol extracts had a beneficial effect on the diabetic state by improving carbohydrate and protein metabolism without provoking hepatobiliary, microvascular, muscular, or pancreatic toxic effects

Development of a novel fermented soymilk product with potential probiotic properties

The study was carried out to test the ability of Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. jugurti, Streptococcus thermophilus and L. delbrueckii ssp bulgaricus to decrease cholesterol in vitro and to grow in the presence of bile salts. Both properties were dependent on the species under study. The cultures were also inoculated into soymilk fortified with dry milk whey powder as single or mixed starters. The physicochemical and sensory evaluations of the fermented products showed that E. faecium plus L. jugurti (ratio 1:1) is the best combination, and this mixture also produces a 43% decrease in cholesterol. © Springer-Verlag 1999

Damage to the central amygdala produces differential encephalic c-fos expression in the water deprivation-partial rehydration protocol

We investigated the effects of electrolytic damage to the central nucleus of the amygdala on brain c-fos expression and 0.3 M NaCl intake of adult male rats (n=6-12/group) submitted to a cycle of 36 h of water deprivation (WD) followed by 2 h water intake until satiety or partial rehydration (PR). The groups were divided into sham lesion (CEAs), bilateral lesion of the CEA (CEAX) and misplaced lesion with intact CEA (CEAm). The WD-PR produced a marked increase in c-fos expression in the medial parabrachial nucleus (MPBN) and some increase in the parvocelullar portion of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVNp), compared to respective hydrated control (no water deprivation) state in CEAX, but not in CEAs or CEAm. The WD-PR induced similar c-fos expression in the lamina terminalis, supraoptic nucleus, magnocellular PVN and lateral parabrachial nucleus in both CEAX and CEAs. The CEAX showed the typical reduced daily need-free 0.3 M NaCl intake compared to CEAs. However, the 0.3 M NaCl intake of CEAX, unexpectedly, was not significantly different from CEAs or intact rats in the sodium appetite test that followed a cycle of WD-PR. The results do not allow associating the alterations in c-fos expression to the typical inhibition of sodium appetite well known in the literature to be produced by damage to the CEA. Nevertheless, the enhanced cell activation in the MPBN and PVNp suggests an inhibitory role for the CEA on the activity of these nuclei when water-deprived rats have quenched their thirst. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq