Neonatal zingerone protects against the development of high-fructose diet-induced metabolic syndrome in adult Sprague-Dawley rats

Abstract

During the early postnatal period, dietary manipulations can alter the developmental trajectory of the growing offspring, causing beneficial or adverse health outcomes later in adult life. We investigated the potential preventive effects of neonatal zingerone intake on the development of fructose-induced metabolic derangements in rats. Four-day old male and female Sprague-Dawley rat pups (n = 79) were randomly grouped and administered: 10 ml/kg body weight (bwt) of distilled water (W), 10 ml/kg bwt 20% fructose solution (FS), 10 ml/kg bwt fructose solution + 40 mg/kg bwt of zingerone in distilled water (ZF) or 40 mg/kg bwt of zingerone in distilled water (ZW) pre-weaning. After weaning, W and ZW continued on unlimited tap water, while FS and ZF continued on unlimited fructose solution for 10 weeks. Body mass and food and fluid intake were evaluated, plasma was collected for metabolic assays and visceral fat was quantified. Food intake was decreased, fructose and overall caloric intake were increased due to fructose feeding in both sexes (P < 0.05). When compared with the controls, the high-fructose diet significantly raised the terminal body masses of females (P < 0.0001), concentrations of triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL-c, TG:HDL-c ratio and visceral fat mass relative to bwt in both sexes (P < 0.05). Zingerone prevented (P < 0.05) the fructose-induced increase in body mass (females) and hypercholesterolemia (both sexes). Levels of HDL-c, glycaemic parameters and adiponectin were not affected by the interventions (P > 0.05). Sex-related differences were observed in food, fluid and caloric intake, terminal mass, cholesterol subtypes and visceral fat percentage (P < 0.05). Zingerone could be used strategically in the neonatal phase as a prophylatic management of high-fructose diet-induced metabolic syndrome.

Zingerone ameliorates non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease in rats by activating AMPK

“…The data originating from this investigation confirm the ability of Zingerone to alleviate hepatic steatosis and liver damage in rats chronically fed HFD which supports some previous studies conducted in the high-fructose-fed animal model and the protective effect of ginger powder in individuals with NAFLD (Muhammad et al, 2021a). However, the novelty of our data is the first to show that this protection is mediated, at least by, activating AMPK which subsequently ameliorated hepatic steatosis and oxido-inflammatory damage by downregulating SREBPs, activating Nrf2/antioxidant axis, and suppression of NF-κB p65.…”

“…During the last decades, a consensus has shown a protective role of plant polyphenols against NAFLD. Zingerone (Vanillylacetone) (C 11 H 14 O 3 ) is a bioactive ketone that is isolated from the ginger plant ( Zingiber Officinale ) which is regularly used as a food flavor (Muhammad et al, 2021a). Zingerone has many pharmacological properties that could protect against cardiac, hepatic, renal, pulmonary, and neural damages in a variety of animal models (Zhu et al, 2021).…”

Characterization and Comparison of the Divergent Metabolic Consequences of High-Sugar and High-Fat Diets in Male Wistar Rats

“…The final survey included 72 publications with 77 comparisons between obesogenic diets and control diets; 4 publications ( Marques et al, 2016 ; Sangüesa et al, 2017 ; Moreno-Fernández et al, 2018 ; Muhammad et al, 2021 ) included more than one comparison. Diet formulations were not standardised and most obesogenic diets were used only once across the 72 publications, except where the same diet was used in multiple studies by the same research group, or where commercially available research diets were used.…”

“…Two studies ( Sangüesa et al, 2017 ; Moreno-Fernández et al, 2018 ) compared the effects of different sugars (fructose vs. glucose), but none of the included studies compared the effects of different types of fat in obesogenic diets. Only one study compared the impact of the diets between males and females ( Muhammad et al, 2021 ), and only one study compared the effects between different rat strains (male Wistar vs. Sprague-Dawley rats) ( Marques et al, 2016 ). None of the included studies compared the effects of obesogenic diets between young and old rats.…”

Neonatal Oral Administration of Chrysin Prevents Long-Term Development of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in a Sexually Dimorphic Manner in Fructose Nurtured Sprague Dawley Rats

“…Hence, its consumption increases the lipid content of the liver, and this can manifest as NAFLD [ 9 ]. Previously, it has been established in our lab that 20% fructose can induce NAFLD in neonatal rats [ 10 ]; hence, this necessitated the choice.…”