The response of male and female rats to a high-fructose diet during adolescence following early administration ofHibiscus sabdariffaaqueous calyx extracts

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome is linked to the consumption of fructose-rich diets. Nutritional and pharmacological interventions perinatally can cause epigenetic changes that programme an individual to predispose or protect them from the development of metabolic diseases later. Hibiscus sabdariffa (HS) reportedly has anti-obesity and hypocholesterolaemic properties in adults. We investigated the impact of neonatal intake of HS on the programming of metabolism by fructose. A total of 85 4-day-old Sprague Dawley rats were divided randomly into three groups. The control group (n=27, 12 males, 15 females) received distilled water at 10 ml/kg body weight. The other groups received either 50 mg/kg (n=30, 13 males, 17 females) or 500 mg/kg (n=28, 11 males, 17 females) of an HS aqueous calyx extract orally till postnatal day (PND) 14. There was no intervention from PND 14 to PND 21 when the pups were weaned. The rats in each group were then divided into two groups; one continued on a normal diet and the other received fructose (20% w/v) in their drinking water for 30 days. The female rats that were administered with HS aqueous calyx extract as neonates were protected against fructose-induced hypertriglyceridaemia and increased liver lipid deposition. The early administration of HS resulted in a significant (P⩽0.05) increase in plasma cholesterol concentrations with or without a secondary fructose insult. In males, HS prevented the development of fructose-induced hypercholesterolaemia. The potential beneficial and detrimental effects of neonatal HS administration on the programming of metabolism in rats need to be considered in the long-term well-being of children.

The potential developmental programming effect of oral curcumin on the bone health and plasma total osteocalcin of male and female rats fed a high-fructose diet during suckling and post weaning

“…This further suggests that it is probably the endocrine functions of the bones that were affected by our interventions and not the bone density. Though postweaning feeding with fructose has been reported in several studies not to exert any effect on the morphometry of the femora and tibiae of rats (Ibrahim et al 2017;Lembede et al 2018); Douard et al (2013) had previously reported shorter femora in male Sprague Dawley rats that were fed a 63% fructose diet for 4 weeks when compared to control rats due to decreased calcium absorption and vitamin D deficiency caused by the high fructose diet. Fructose metabolism in the body has been associated with generation of reactive oxygen species leading to oxidative stress (Yarrow et al 2016).…”

Prophylactic Use of Natural Products against Developmentally Programmed Metabolic Syndrome

“…In another study, HS aqueous extract had sex-specific actions in rats. In males, it reduced cholesterol level by 19 % while in females, it lowered TG levels by 13 % [72]. Similarly, maternal consumption of GSE in rats prevented a rise in TG levels in 90-and 180-day-old offspring, however, it had no significant effect on total cholesterol levels [17].…”

“…Some plant extracts and phytochemicals have been shown to lower insulin resistance, thereby improving insulin action on target tissues. The resultant effect is the normalization of blood glucose levels, although some studies reported that some of these phytochemicals or plant extracts exert no significant effect on glucose levels and insulin sensitivity 72 , 88 . Two studies on GTE have given conflicting reports on the glucose profile and insulin sensitivity 16 , 69 .…”

Studies from <i>Hibiscus</i> <i>sabdariffa</i> &#40Hibiscus&#41 Plant for Blood Cholesterol Levels Reduction

“…It has been generally accepted that overweight and obesity are a result of an imbalance between energy uptake and its use. These conditions have a high impact on metabolic systems resulting in heart problems, cancer, arthritis, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and type II diabetics [10], along with insulin resistance. The hypercholesterolemia is a result of metabolic changes in an individual's cholesterol blood levels and it is the main cause of cardiovascular problems [11].…”