Nutraceutical Values of Muscadine against Obesity and Metabolic Complications in‐vivo

Abstract

Muscadine grapes (Vitis rotundifolia) are commonly grown and consumed in the southeastern U.S. It contains a unique blend of bioactive phytochemicals with potential to improved symptoms of chronic metabolic diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which consumption of extracts made from muscadine grapes and wine attenuate obesity and associated metabolic abnormalities in comparison to intake of purified resveratrol. Obesigenic high fat diets (HFD)‐were fed to C57BL/6J male mice. Six‐week old mice were randomly assigned to one of five experimental groups and fed for 15 wks. Diet groups were low fat control (LF, 10% kcal fat); high fat control (HF, 60% kcal fat); HF+ 0.2% resveratrol (HF+RSV); HF + 0.4% muscadine grape extract (HF+MGN); and HF + 0.4% muscadine wine extract (HF+MWN). The componential analyses by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry revealed that the major phytochemicals in MGN and MWN were ellagic acid and anthocyanins. HF‐fed mice had increased weight gain (+58.5%, P < 0.01) compared to LF‐fed mice (LF). Mice fed HF+RSV and HF+MGN significantly decreased body weights by 7.7 % and 15.2 %, respectively, compared to the HF controls. Supplementation with resveratrol, MGN, or MWN improved glucose tolerance and normalized blood cholesterol compared to HF controls. These results suggest that consumption of muscadine phytochemicals are effective in reducing HF‐induced obesity and associated metabolic complications.