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

Abstract

• ASE decreases hepatic steatosis and fibrosis in obese mice. • ASE modulates the hepatic renin angiotensin-system protein expression. • ASE prevents the decreased antioxidant enzyme activity in the liver. • ASE prevents increased inflammatory markers in the liver. The 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.