Abstract
Evidence suggests that oxidative stress plays a major role in the development of metabolic syndrome. This study aims to investigate whether α-lipoic acid (LA), a potent antioxidant, could exert beneficial outcomes in Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats. Male 6-week-old ZDF rats and their lean counterparts (ZL) were fed for six weeks with a standard diet or a chow diet supplemented with LA (1 g/kg feed). At 12 weeks of age, ZDF rats exhibited an increase in systolic blood pressure, epididymal fat weight per body weight, hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance (HOMA index), adipocyte hypertrophy and a rise in basal superoxide anion (O2•−) production in gastrocnemius muscle and a downregulation of epididymal uncoupled protein-1 (UCP-1) protein staining. Treatment with LA prevented the development of hypertension, the rise in whole body weight and O2•− production in gastrocnemius muscle, but failed to affect insulin resistance, hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia in ZDF rats. LA treatment resulted in a noticeable increase of pancreatic weight and a further adipocyte hypertrophy, along with a decrease in epididymal fat weight per body weight ratio associated with an upregulation of epididymal UCP-1 protein staining in ZDF rats. These findings suggest that LA was efficacious in preventing the development of hypertension, which could be related to its antioxidant properties. The anti-visceral obesity effect of LA appears to be mediated by its antioxidant properties and the induction of UCP-1 protein at the adipose tissue level in ZDF rats. Disorders of glucose metabolism appear, however, to be mediated by other unrelated mechanisms in this model of metabolic syndrome.
Highlights
Metabolic syndrome represents a cluster of metabolic abnormalities that comprise central obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension and dyslipidemia
This study showed that Zucker Diabetic Fatty rats (ZDF) rats exhibited hypertension and insulin resistance, accompanied by an increase in body weight and epididymal fat weight and a decrease in epididymal uncoupled protein-1 (UCP-1) protein
Acid prevented the increase in basal alpha-lipoic acidα-lipoic supplementation prevented the Odevelopment of production in the gastrocnemius muscle and enhanced pancreatic weight in ZDF rats
Summary
Metabolic syndrome represents a cluster of metabolic abnormalities that comprise central obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension and dyslipidemia. It is increasingly evident that oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the occurrence of metabolic syndrome. Elevated free radicals have been postulated to participate in the pathogenic mechanism and development of complications in insulin resistance, diabetes, hypertension and adiposity [1,2,3,4]. Oxidative stress results from an increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and/or a decreased antioxidant reserve. It has been shown that mitochondria may be one of the predominant sources of endogenous ROS [3].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
