CACAO EXTRACT ENRICHED IN POLYPHENOLS PREVENTS INSULIN-RESISTANCE AND DYSLIPEMIA IN A RAT MODEL

VILLAGARCÍA H; MASSA ML; CASTRO MC; RIOS JL; SCHINELLA G; GONZÁLEZ ARBELÁEZ LF; FRANCINI F.

Basilea

Congreso; 65th International Congress and Annual Meeting of the Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research.; 2017

Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research

Cocoa-derived foods are rich in polyphenols obtained from the fermented, roasted and industrially processed seeds of Theobroma cacao L. (Sterculiaceae). Its biological activities are due to procyanidins and flavanols [1]. Administration of a sucrose rich diet (SRD) to normal rats generates insulin resistance, oxidative stress, inflammation and liver dysfunction similar to those observed in human metabolic syndrome [2]. Our objective was to evaluate the effects ofa cocoa extract enriched in polyphenols (CEP) in preventing the endocrine-metabolic alterations produced by SRD. Male Wistar rats were fed with a standard commercial diet and drinking water (Blank); 10% sucrose in water alone (SRD, negative control) or treated with CEP (250 mg/kg, all days) or Nacetyl-cysteine(NAC, 50 mg/kg, last 5 days) as positive control. At the time of sacrifice bloodglucose, insulin, triglycerides and serum transaminases were determined. In liver, we measured: a) oxidative stress markers (GSH and protein carbonyls); b) glycogen content, glucokinase and glucose-6-phosphatase activities; and, d) protein levels of Akt/pAkt, eNOS/peNOS, iNOS and COX-2. Insulin, triglicerides and glycogen were significantly reduced vs. control, whereas glucose-6-Pase activity was reduced. Glucose and glucokinase activity did not suffer significant changes. Serum transaminases showed no differences thus demonstrating no hepatotoxicity. SRD rats showed a decrease in GSH level, a value that increased significantly in CEP animals (36.0 vs. 12.9 mmol/g). No changes were observed in protein carbonyl levels. P-Akt and P-eNOS levelswere significantly reduced in SRD animals. iNOS and COX-2 were significantly increased in these animals. CEP administration prevented the mentioned changes.In conclusion, CEP co-administration is effective in preventing the endocrine-metabolic changes induced by a SRD. This prevention is mediated through P-Akt/P-eNOS-dependent signaling pathway.[1] Andújar et al. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2012, 2012, 906252.[2] Francini et al. Life Sci. 2010; 86: 965-971.