Background and aims: Edible fiber isolated from the tuber of yam bean (Pachyrhizus erosus, Leguminosae) has been suggested to prevent the development of metabolic diseases caused by excessively consuming sugary foods. However, it is unclarified whether P. erosus fiber (PEF) is also capable of preventing liver diseases. This study aimed to determine the effectivity of PEF in counteracting the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) caused by excessive intake of high-sugar diet (HSD). Material and method: 25% of PEF in HSD (w/w) was fed in BALB/c mice for eight weeks followed by subsequent morphological and histological examinations of the liver at the end of treatment in comparing with HSD alone. Results: We found that supplementation of 25% PEF sustained the normal morphological feature of the liver in HSD-fed mice. Moreover, PEF also prevented the development of microvesicles in the liver tissue, nuclear shrinkage, and hepatolysis as indicators of liver disease. Macrophages infiltration as a marker of liver inflammation was also less observed in PEF-treated mice. Conclusions: PEF could effectively elicit a beneficial effect against NAFLD caused by HSD. Hence, PEF is suggested to be used as a potent supplemental diet to preclude the metabolic diseases caused by HSD.
Jicama (Pachyrhizuz erosus, Fabaceae) has been reported to elicit various medicinal benefits against metabolic disturbances. We also have previously demonstrated that extracted jicama fiber (JF) could sustain normoglycemic state in high-sugar diet fed mice. In this present study, we investigated the effectivity of jicama fiber in preventing the dysregulation of energy metabolism as well as adiposity in adult male BALB/c mice fed with a high-fat diet (HFD). Three groups of animals were treated with normal diet (ND), HFD, and HFD in combination with 25% JF (w/w), respectively for 8 weeks ad libitum. Furthermore, food intake, energy intake, water intake, white adipose (WAT) and brown adipose (BAT) tissue mass, kidney and liver weight as well as organ index were determined. Our investigation revealed that JF 25% could preclude the perturbation of circadian feeding and energy intake rhythms caused by HFD but significantly reduced total water intake. JF also effectively counteracted the marked increase of WAT and decrease of BAT weight and its index in HFD fed mice. Furthermore, JF did not significantly alter the weight and index of both kidney and liver in HFD fed mice. This finding suggests that JF could be used as a potent supplement to minimize the disruption of energy homeostasis and obesity caused by HFD.
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