Yacon roots improve hepatic steatosis in high-fructose feeding

ALEMAN MN; GENTA SB; SÁNCHEZ SS; HONORÉ SM

Horco Molle, Tucuán

Congreso; XXX Jornadas Asociación de Biología de Tucumán; 2013

Asociacion de Biología de Tucumán

Obesity appears to have emerged largely from changes in our diet and reduced physical activity. An important dietary change has been the substantial increase in the amount of dietary fructose consumption, a common sweetener used in the food industry. A high flux of fructose to the liver, perturbs glucose metabolism and increase de novo lipogenesis and triglyceride synthesis. This underlie insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis. The aim of this study was to determine the protective effect yacon root on hepatic lipid accumulation in high-fructose-diet-fed (HFD) rats. Oral administration of Yacón fluor (340mg FOS/kg body weight) twice a day, significantly decreases body weight and fat mass of HFD rats after 8 weeks of treatment. Hepatic trigliceride content and score index calculated from morphometric observations were significantly decreased of HFD+Yacón rats. mRNA expressions of hepatic hydroxy-methylglutaryl CoA sintase (HMGCoAS), fatty acid synthase (FAS), glycerol-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT) and PPARα gene were upregulated in HFD+Yacón rats. HFD+Yacón rats decrease leptin levels, as well as leptin/adiponectin ratio and HOMA-IR. These findings suggest that Yacon amelioration of HF-induced fatty liver appears to be conferred by a reduction in hepatic lipogenesis and acceleration of energy expenditure.