Abstract
The consumption of hypercaloric diets is related to the development of obesity, favoring the etiology of gastrointestinal disorders. In this context, Spirulina platensis (SP), some blue-green algae with antioxidant action, appears as a potential therapeutic alternative to prevent obesity and associated intestinal disorders. Thus, the present study is aimed at evaluating the deleterious effects of the hypercaloric diet on the contractile and relaxing reactivity of the ileum of rats, as well as the possible preventive mechanisms of dietary supplementation with SP. Wistar rats were divided into three groups: fed a standard diet (SD), a hypercaloric diet (HCD), and/or supplemented with 25 mg/kg SP (HCD + SP25) for 8 weeks. The hypercaloric diet was effective in promoting obesity in rats, as well as decreasing potency and ileal relaxing and contractile efficacy. In contrast, dietary supplementation with SP was able to prevent some of the parameters of experimental obesity. In addition, SP prevented the reduction of intestinal reactivity, possibly due to a positive modulation of voltage-gated calcium channels (CaV) and negative regulation of muscarinic receptors (M3). Thus, food supplementation with Spirulina platensis becomes a promising alternative in the prevention of gastrointestinal diseases induced and/or aggravated by obesity.
Highlights
IntroductionDefined as the abnormal and/or excessive deposition of body fat, which directly interferes with the individual’s health, obesity is a chronic noncommunicable disease caused by the energy imbalance between consumption and caloric expenditure, representing an important risk factor for development of cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus, musculoskeletal disorders, and some types of cancer [1,2,3,4].The causes can be influenced by genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors, especially those related to poor eating habits, determined by the consumption of hypercaloric diets leading to increased rates of obesity and overweight and to the development of various gastrointestinal disorders [5, 6].with the growing global obesity epidemic, researchers have turned their attention to studies that demonstrate the relationship between obesity and the mainOxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity metabolic and endocrine disorders that affect the gastrointestinal system (gastroesophageal reflux disease, dyspepsia, constipation, bowel syndrome irritable, and diarrhea) that contribute to the existence of similar proinflammatory mechanisms, linking both diseases [7,8,9]
The rats fed the hypercaloric diet and supplemented with S. platensis at a dose of 25 mg/kg (376:7 ± 5:9) showed an increase in body mass when compared to the standard diet (SD) group and a decrease in relation to the HCD group (Figure 1(a))
The experimental obesity model was induced by consuming a hypercaloric diet in Wistar rats for 8 weeks, which resulted in increased final body mass, murinometric parameters, and body adiposity index, as well as promoting a reduction in relaxing and ileal contractile reactivity
Summary
Defined as the abnormal and/or excessive deposition of body fat, which directly interferes with the individual’s health, obesity is a chronic noncommunicable disease caused by the energy imbalance between consumption and caloric expenditure, representing an important risk factor for development of cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus, musculoskeletal disorders, and some types of cancer [1,2,3,4].The causes can be influenced by genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors, especially those related to poor eating habits, determined by the consumption of hypercaloric diets leading to increased rates of obesity and overweight and to the development of various gastrointestinal disorders [5, 6].with the growing global obesity epidemic, researchers have turned their attention to studies that demonstrate the relationship between obesity and the mainOxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity metabolic and endocrine disorders that affect the gastrointestinal system (gastroesophageal reflux disease, dyspepsia, constipation, bowel syndrome irritable, and diarrhea) that contribute to the existence of similar proinflammatory mechanisms, linking both diseases [7,8,9]. Preclinical studies report that obesity impairs inhibitory neuromuscular transmission and relaxation of enteric smooth muscle, in addition to changes in intestinal motility [10] In this context, the marine environment represents a rich therapeutic arsenal composed of several organisms that function as sources of bioactive metabolites, with great potential for the discovery of new drugs [11]. The marine environment represents a rich therapeutic arsenal composed of several organisms that function as sources of bioactive metabolites, with great potential for the discovery of new drugs [11] Among these organisms, in recent years as previous marine algae gaining prominence, being increasingly inserted in human food, demonstrating antiobesity effects, mainly to its nutritional composition of bioactive compounds, photosynthetic pigments, sterols, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and proteins, used as nutraceuticals and/or food supplements. The interest in inserting algae as one of the additives present in animal feed has been growing, mainly because they are a natural source of biomass and cultivated, enhancing performance and animal health [12,13,14,15]
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