Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) seed extract protects against hepatic steatosis and fibrosis in high-fat diet-fed mice: Role of local renin-angiotensin system, oxidative stress and inflammation

Publication date: Available online 16 December 2019Source: Journal of Functional FoodsAuthor(s): Matheus Henrique Romão, Graziele Freitas de Bem, Izabelle Barcellos Santos, Ricardo de Andrade Soares, Dayane Teixeira Ognibene, Roberto Soares de Moura, Cristiane Aguiar da Costa, Ângela Castro ResendeAbstractThe Euterpe oleracea Mart. (açaí) seed extract (ASE), rich in polyphenols, has been evidenced as a potential regulator of body mass with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions. We aimed to assess the effects of ASE and enalapril (ENA) on the hepatic steatosis and fibrosis and related overexpressed RAS, oxidative stress and inflammation in C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). The animals were fed a standard diet (10% fat, Control), 60% fat (HF), HF + ASE (300 mg kg−1 d−1) and HF + ENA (30 mg kg−1 d−1) for 12 weeks. Our results demonstrate that ASE prevented the obesity and related hepatic steatosis and fibrosis in HFD-fed mice. The negative modulation of RAS in hepatic tissue may contribute to these beneficial effects of ASE by favoring the reduction of the oxidative stress and inflammation, highlighting a greater antioxidant activity of ASE compared to ENA.Graphical abstract
Source: Journal of Functional Foods - Category: Nutrition Source Type: research