Cyanidin 3-glucoside in diet-induced metabolic syndrome in rats

Metabolic syndrome combines the risk factors for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, including obesity, insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, dyslipidaemia and hypertension. Obesity is now understood to be a chronic low-grade inflammatory state with sustained oxidative stress. There are few drug therapies for obesity and all may produce unacceptable adverse effects. Thus, functional foods may serve as a better alternative for treatment of metabolic syndrome. Anthocyanins are purple-coloured polyphenolic compounds found in dark-coloured fruits and vegetables, such as purple carrot, Queen Garnet plum, chokeberry and purple corn. As anthocyanins produce anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory responses, this study investigated whether anthocyanin-rich black rice can reverse the signs of diet-induced metabolic syndrome. This study used high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet-fed male Wistar rats to mimic the symptoms of human metabolic syndrome. Rats developed hypertension, diabetes along with damage to cardiovascular and hepatic systems. However, rats supplemented with cyanidin 3-glucoside rich black rice extract mid-way through the protocol had noticeable overall health improvements. Black rice extract reversed many changes the rats developed while on the diet including reduced body weight (10%), abdominal obesity (6%) and normalising systolic blood pressure; improved hepatic structure (decreased inflammation) and function; (decreased liver enzyme activity) improved cardiovascular structure (decreased inflammation and fibrosis) and function along with reduced overall cholesterol and decreased liver enzyme activity

Tropical seaweeds improve cardiovascular and metabolic health of diet-induced obese and hypertensive rats

Seaweeds have been an important part of the diet of coastal populations in Asia possibly for millennia but only a few scattered coastal communities in Europe and the Americas have maintained these traditions (Mouritsen et al, 2019). Our studies have investigated the potential of two tropical seaweeds grown commercially in Asia, Sarconema and Caulerpa spp., as functional foods for the reversal of metabolic syndrome and possible mechanisms. Sarconema spp. are a source of carrageenans used as thickening and gelling agents in foods while Caulerpa spp. are consumed in South-East Asia as low-energy foods with high contents of vitamins and minerals. For our studies, male Wistar rats were divided into groups in a 16-week protocol: corn starch diet-fed rats (C); C rats supplemented with 5% dried seaweed for the last 8 weeks; high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet-fed rats (H); and H rats supplemented with 5% dried seaweed for the last 8 weeks. H rats developed obesity, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, glucose intolerance, fatty liver and increased left ventricular collagen deposition, infiltration of inflammatory cells and plasma liver enzyme activities. Seaweed supplementation decreased body weight, abdominal and liver fat, systolic blood pressure, plasma lipid concentrations, plasma activities of liver enzymes and collagen deposition. Further, seaweed supplementation modulated gut microbiota. Possible mechanisms for improved cardiovascular and metabolic health include a reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells into organs as well as an increased intake of fibre modulating gut microbiota composition

Caulerpa lentillifera (sea grapes) improves cardiovascular and metabolic health of rats with diet-induced metabolic syndrome

Caulerpa lentillifera (sea grapes) is widely consumed in South-East Asia as a low-energy food with high contents of vitamins and minerals. This study investigated dried sea grapes containing 16.6% insoluble fibre commercially produced in Vietnam as an intervention. We hypothesised that insoluble fibre is the primary metabolite that will reverse diet-induced metabolic syndrome. Male Wistar rats (n = 48) were randomly allocated to four groups in a 16 week protocol. Two groups were fed either corn starch (C) or high-carbohydrate, high-fat (H) diets for the full 16 weeks. The other two groups received C and H diets for eight weeks and then received C. lentillifera added to these diets for the final eight weeks (CCL and HCL, respectively). High carbohydrate, high-fat diet-fed rats developed obesity, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, fatty liver disease and increased left ventricular collagen deposition. C. lentillifera supplementation in HCL rats decreased body weight, systolic blood pressure, plasma concentrations of total cholesterol and non-esterified fatty acids, inflammatory cells in heart and liver, and visceral adiposity. The Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio decreased in the gut microbiota of HCL rats. Therefore, C. lentillifera attenuated cardiovascular and metabolic symptoms of metabolic syndrome in rats, possibly by preventing infiltration of inflammatory cells together with modulating gut microbiota

Nannochloropsis oceanica as a microalgal food intervention in diet-induced metabolic syndrome in rats

The microalgal genus Nannochloropsis has broad applicability to produce biofuels, animal feed supplements and other value-added products including proteins, carotenoids and lipids. This study investigated a potential role of N. oceanica in the reversal of metabolic syndrome. Male Wistar rats (n = 48) were divided into four groups in a 16-week protocol. Two groups were fed either corn starch or high-carbohydrate, high-fat diets (C and H, respectively) for the full 16 weeks. The other two groups received C and H diets for eight weeks and then received 5% freeze-dried N. oceanica in these diets for the final eight weeks (CN and HN, respectively) of the protocol. The H diet was high in fructose and sucrose, together with increased saturated and trans fats. H rats developed obesity, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, fatty liver disease and left ventricular fibrosis. N. oceanica increased lean mass in CN and HN rats, possibly due to the increased protein intake, and decreased fat mass in HN rats. Intervention with N. oceanica did not change cardiovascular, liver and metabolic parameters or gut structure. The relative abundance of Oxyphotobacteria in the gut microbiota was increased. N. oceanica may be an effective functional food against metabolic syndrome as a sustainable protein source

Vermont Legislators\u27 Opinions Regarding the Opioid Epidemic

Introduction • The VT General Assembly includes 180 legislators: 150 representatives and 30 senators • State legislators have substantial power to create opioid-related policies • During the 2017-18 VT legislative session 22 opioid related bills were introduced and 9 were passed • No data currently exist on how VT legislators gather information and formulate public health decisions regarding opioid policies Purpose • Examine VT legislators’ understanding of the opioid epidemic • Identify what drives legislators to draft legislation, including beliefs, priorities, and voting decisions • Inform health and human services professionals to best respond to legislators’ knowledge gaps and continuing education needshttps://scholarworks.uvm.edu/comphp_gallery/1270/thumbnail.jp

Brown seaweed Sargassum siliquosum as an intervention for diet-induced obesity in male Wistar rats

The therapeutic potential of Sargassum siliquosum grown in Australian tropical waters was tested in a rat model of metabolic syndrome. Forty-eight male Wistar rats were divided into four groups of 12 rats and each group was fed a different diet for 16 weeks: corn starch diet (C); high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet (H) containing fructose, sucrose, saturated and trans fats; and C or H diets with 5% S. siliquosum mixed into the food from weeks 9 to 16 (CS and HS). Obesity, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, impaired glucose tolerance, fatty liver and left ventricular fibrosis developed in H rats. In HS rats, S. siliquosum decreased body weight (H, 547 ± 14; HS, 490 ± 16 g), fat mass (H, 248 ± 27; HS, 193 ± 19 g), abdominal fat deposition and liver fat vacuole size but did not reverse cardiovascular and liver effects. H rats showed marked changes in gut microbiota compared to C rats, while S. siliquosum supplementation increased gut microbiota belonging to the family Muribaculaceae. This selective increase in gut microbiota likely complements the prebiotic actions of the alginates. Thus, S. siliquosum may be a useful dietary additive to decrease abdominal and liver fat deposition

Home on the Range: Factors Explaining Partial Migration of African Buffalo in a Tropical Environment

Partial migration (when only some individuals in a population undertake seasonal migrations) is common in many species and geographical contexts. Despite the development of modern statistical methods for analyzing partial migration, there have been no studies on what influences partial migration in tropical environments. We present research on factors affecting partial migration in African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) in northeastern Namibia. Our dataset is derived from 32 satellite tracking collars, spans 4 years and contains over 35,000 locations. We used remotely sensed data to quantify various factors that buffalo experience in the dry season when making decisions on whether and how far to migrate, including potential man-made and natural barriers, as well as spatial and temporal heterogeneity in environmental conditions. Using an information-theoretic, non-linear regression approach, our analyses showed that buffalo in this area can be divided into 4 migratory classes: migrants, non-migrants, dispersers, and a new class that we call “expanders”. Multimodel inference from least-squares regressions of wet season movements showed that environmental conditions (rainfall, fires, woodland cover, vegetation biomass), distance to the nearest barrier (river, fence, cultivated area) and social factors (age, size of herd at capture) were all important in explaining variation in migratory behaviour. The relative contributions of these variables to partial migration have not previously been assessed for ungulates in the tropics. Understanding the factors driving migratory decisions of wildlife will lead to better-informed conservation and land-use decisions in this area

Low-Dose Curcumin Nanoparticles Normalise Blood Pressure in Male Wistar Rats with Diet-Induced Metabolic Syndrome

Nanoparticle formulations improve bioavailability and so may allow low-dose formulations of food-derived compounds such as curcumin to attenuate chronic systemic disease despite intrinsically low oral bioavailability. The current study induced metabolic syndrome in male Wistar rats aged eight–nine weeks using a high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet (H) with corn starch diet (C) as control. Using a reversal protocol, rats were given curcumin as either nanoparticles encapsulated in poly(lactic–co–glycolic acid) (5 mg/kg/day, HCNP) or as an unformulated low dose or high-dose suspension in water (low-dose, 5 mg/kg/day, HC5; high-dose, 100 mg/kg/day, HC100) or blank nanoparticles (HBNP) for the final eight weeks of the 16 week study. We analysed cardiovascular parameters including systolic blood pressure and left ventricular diastolic stiffness along with histopathology, liver parameters including plasma liver enzymes, histopathology and metabolic parameters, including glucose tolerance, blood lipid profile and body composition, and plasma curcumin concentrations. HC100 and HCNP but not HBNP normalised systolic blood pressure (C = 120 ± 4; H = 143 ± 5; HBNP = 141 ± 3; HC5 = 143 ± 4; HC100 = 126 ± 4; HCNP = 128 ± 4 mmHg), left ventricular diastolic stiffness and liver fat deposition. No other improvements were induced in HC100 or HCNP or other intervention groups (HC5 and HBNP). We conclude that 5 mg/kg/day curcumin nanoparticles in H rats showed similar improvements in cardiovascular function as 100 mg/kg/day unformulated curcumin correlating with similar plasma curcumin concentrations

Algae provide options for improved treatment of metabolic syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is a clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors including central obesity, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, glucose intolerance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease which increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. Metabolic syndrome prevalence is increasing in all countries, for example in Australia, prevalence was 19% in 2000 and 29% in 2017 with an annual incidence of 3%. The continuing increase of incidence suggests that current treatment options are insufficient. Seaweeds are part of the staple diet in south-east Asian countries and their intake correlates with a lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Seaweeds provide polysaccharides, vitamins, minerals, peptides, amino acids, polyphenols, carotenoids and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. This thesis investigated the physiological and metabolic responses to the whole biomass from species of red, green and brown macroalga (Kappaphycus alvarezii and Sarconema filiforme, Caulerpa lentillifera, and Sargassum siliquosum respectively) and microalgae (Nannochloropsis oceanica). Studies were performed in rats using a validated high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet with increased fructose and saturated/trans fats that induced cardiovascular, liver and metabolic signs, including obesity, hypertension, glucose/insulin intolerance and fatty liver, due to chronic low-grade inflammation. This diet induced changes that closely mimic the signs of human metabolic syndrome. The main components of interest in the seaweeds were the sulphated polysaccharides such as K- and t-carrageenans and non-sulphated polysaccharides such as fucoidans and alginates. As pigments often have low bioavailability, the advantage of nanoparticles was tested in curcumin. Chapter 1 is a literature review of the therapeutic potential of macroalgae and microalgae as functional foods for metabolic syndrome. It also reviews curcumin and the application of nanoparticles to overcome low bioavailability. Chapter 2 determined that K. alvarezii, a red seaweed containing -carrageenan, normalised body weight and adiposity, lowered systolic blood pressure, improved heart and liver structure, and lowered plasma lipids in rats. In Chapter 3, S. filiforme, a red seaweed containing t- carrageenan, decreased body weight by ~10%, abdominal fat deposits by ~30%, reduced systolic blood pressure by 13 mmHg, and reduced plasma liver enzyme activities. These red seaweeds have carrageenans which most likely act as prebiotics to attenuate symptoms of metabolic syndrome. Chapter 4 investigated S. siliquosum, a brown seaweed, with alginate, fucoidans and laminarans as polysaccharides contributing to the 41.4% of dietary fibre in the biomass. It decreased body weight by ~12% but did not change other parameters. In Chapter 5, C. lentillifera, a green seaweed, decreased body weight by ~22%, reduced systolic blood pressure by 17 mmHg and reduced total plasma cholesterol and non-esterified fatty acids. The sulphated polysaccharides are the most likely compounds producing these physiological and metabolic actions. In Chapter 6, N. oceanica, a microalgae, was used as a source of eicosapentaenoic acid, up to ~9% dry weight for potential health benefits. A limiting factor was the intactness of the cell wall which may have decreased the bioavailability of eicosapentaenoic acid and hence optimal biological activity was not observed. In Chapter 7, a curcumin nanoparticle formulation was used to determine whether nanoparticles increase the low bioavailability of about 1% by 20-fold which may have future applications for other compounds with low bioavailability such as carotenoids from seaweeds. Overall, this thesis found that seaweeds contain multiple compounds which attenuate obesity, hypertension, dyslipidaemia and inflammation, and therefore may be useful for further studies into functional foods for metabolic syndrome. A combination of seaweeds can be incorporated into the human diet to confer health benefits. Biotechnology applications such as nanoparticles can overcome low bioavailability which will lead to improved biological activity