Nopal consumption attenuates biochemical abnormalities and microbiota disbiosis in a diet induced obesity (DIO) model

Abstract

Nopal is a cactus considered as functional food due to its nutritional value and beneficial effects on health. However, it is not known whether the oligosaccharides of nopal have prebiotic activity. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of consumption of nopal on intestinal microbiota in a model of DIO. Wistar rats were fed control diet (AIN‐93) or a high fat diet +5% sucrose in the drinking water (HFD+S) for 7 mo. Rats fed the HFD+S increased body weight and showed glucose intolerance and metabolic inflexibility. Also, there was a significant disbiosis in the intestinal microbiota. There was a decrease in Bacteroidetes Lacobacillus, Actinobacteria, Bifidobacteria, Akkermancia and B. thetaiotaomicron, and an increase in Firmicutes. Obese rats were then divided into 4 groups fed one of the following diets 1) AIN‐93, 2) AIN‐93 + 5% nopal, 3) HFD + 5% S and 4) HFD + 5% S + 5% nopal for a mo. The addition of nopal in the diet decreased body weight gain, improved glucose tolerance and metabolic inflexibility, and biochemical parameters, decreased the expression of SREBP‐1 involved in lipogenesis and increased PPAR‐α involved in fatty acid oxidation. Finally the inclusion of nopal in the HFD+5%S restored the intestinal microbiota by increasing the Bacteroidetes, Lactobacillus, Akkermancia, Bifidobacterium along with a decrease in Firmicutes. Therefore, the results suggest that bioactive compounds of nopal may have beneficial effects on obesity control as well as a prebiotic effect.Supported by Instituto Danone de Mexico