Functional properties of β-glucan extracted from Algerian barley, and its effect on different parameters of overfed rats

Abstract

This paper aims to propose a preventive strategy for obesity using barley β-glucan, which is a soluble dietary fiber contnent in cereals. In this study, the effect of barley β-glucan in the prevention of induced obesity in Wistar rats is highlighted. For that, 24 male rats were divided into 4 groups, the 1st group presented control and received a standard diet (CT), the 2nd received a standard diet supplemented with 5% of barley β-glucan (CT + BG), the 3rd received a high-fat diet (HFD), and the 4th received the same high-fat diet supplemented with 5% of barley β-glucan (HFD + BG). After 12 weeks of diet, the rats were sacrificed and the biochemical and microbiological assays were carried out. The obtained results show that a highly significant increase (p < 0.001) is observed in body weight, epididymal and subcutaneous adipose tissue in the HFD group compared to the CT group. Further, a highly significant decrease is observed (p < 0.001) in total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in the HFD + BG group compared to the HFD group. Barley β-glucan balanced the ecophysiology of the intestinal microbiota reducing significantly (p < 0.001) the level of pathogenic bacteria in the colon and jejunum and increasing the beneficial bacteria. The supplementation with 5% of barley β-glucan for 12 weeks also decreased fasting blood glucose and the Hemoglobin A1C (HBA1C). Therefore this miraculous molecule could be used as a therapeutic element to treat dyslipidemia as well as the imbalance of the microbiota linked to obesity.