Smallanthus sonchifolius (YACON) FLOUR AMELIORATES HIGH-FAT DIET-INDUCED NON-ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE

DIAZ MIRANDA EN; GRANDE MV; SÁNCHEZ SS; HONORÉ SM

Tafí del Valle-Tucumán

Congreso; XXXIX Jornadas Científicas de la Asociación de Biología de Tucumán; 2022

Tucuman Biology Associantion

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a component of the cardiometabolic syndrome, hasemerged as one of the most common etiologies of chronic liver disease. NAFLD, is stronglyassociated with obesity and is characterized by an irregular deposition of triglycerides in hepatocytesand increased oxidative stress. Current management is rooted in attenuating the risk factors such asgradual weight loss through lifestyle modifications with a focus on nutrition and exercise. The roots ofSmallanthus sonchifollus (yacon) have shown benefits for glucose control and body weight in obeserats. The present study was designed to investigate the efficacy of yacon flour in the treatment of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced NAFLD in rats. Male Wistar rats were fed a standard diet (CD) or HFD for 12weeks and then were divided into the following groups: CD, HFD, and HFD plus yacon(680mg/kg/bw, HFDY), for 8 continuous weeks. NAFLD was examined in terms of body weight, lipidprofiles, liver function markers, and histology. Our results showed that yacon flour supplementationsignificantly reduced HFD-induced body weight, hyperlipidemia, and intrahepatic lipid accumulation(p<0.05). Yacon also restored oxidative stress by reducing lipid peroxidation (p<0.05) and improvingthe antioxidant capacity in both serum and liver of HFD-fed rats. Furthermore, flour intake couldeffectively alleviate liver injury by reducing hepatocyte ballooning and the signs of inflammation. Ourstudy indicated that yacon flour may be an effective dietary supplement for protecting the liver againstthe metabolic impact of HFD-feeding and preventing the progression of NAFLD by regulating lipidmetabolism and reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.