Effect flaxseed oil beeswax-oleogel supplementation in diet fed rat on health functionality aspect and its possibility as a therapeutic food ingredient

Abstract

The imbalanced consumption of high-fat food has a significant role in health. This study aimed to investigate the fundamental health effect of an oleogel made of flaxseed oil and beeswax, an innovative fat ingredient, fed to rats for 5 weeks. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (N = 20) were divided into four treatment groups of different diets: i) control (normal diet), ii) high-fat diet (HFD), iii) flaxseed oil-beeswax oleogel (FBOG), and iv) HFD incorporating FBOG. Body weight gain, dietary intake index, blood glucose, and insulin levels as well as the target genes expression were determined. The results showed that the bodyweight of rats was reduced in the HFD + FBOG group (89.20±16.17 g) compared with the HFD-only group (92.20±21.36 g) (p < 0.05). Rats treated with FBOG alone had the highest dietary intake index (24.92±4.33 g). Rats fed the FBOG diet showed improved blood biochemical characteristics by modulation of glucose (134.80±7.68 mg/dL) and insulin (31.51±1.32 mU/L) levels (p < 0.05). Glucose transporter 2 (GLUT-2) and insulin receptor substrate 2 (IRS-2) gene expression was up-regulated after diet supplementation with FBOG whereas nuclear factor-kappa B p65 (NF-κB p65) gene expression was downregulated (p < 0.05). Consequently, FBOG could be used as a fat replacement in food to improve body weight gain and the blood biochemical profiles of animals by regulating glucose and insulin signalling, contributing to reducing the risk factors for pro-obesogenic effects and obesity-related diseases. Besides that, this work may provide fundamental results to develop oleogel as therapeutic food ingredient.