Therapeutic effects of chitin from Pleurotus eryngii on high-fat diet induced obesity in rats

Abstract

Background. Recent shifts in lifestyles and diets have caused the incidence of obesity to increase rapidly, resulting in a serious threat to modern human health. There is a growing interest the use of plant or fungi derived supplements as a safe and effective means to treat obesity. In recent times, edible-medicinal fungi have garnered attention as therapeutics owing to their biocompatibility and effectiveness. Attempts to determine the therapeutic effects of these fungi have become a prime focus in drug discovery programs. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the anti-obesity effects of P. eryngii chitin in rats with obesity induced by administration of a high fat diet. Material and methods. To investigate the therapeutic effects of chitin from Pleurotus eryngii on high fat diet-induce obesity, we treated obese rats with different concentrations of chitin from P. eryngii for 4 weeks, using Lipitor as positive control. The living condition, food intake, body weight, perirenal adipose tissue, periepididymal adipose tissue, adipose tissue coefficient, serum lipid levels, including total cholesterol (TC), total glyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), were measured, and levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), themalonaldehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in liver were determined. The rats were also monitored for pathological changes in the liver and aorta. Results. These studies indicated that administration of chitin from P. eryngii could significantly decrease obese rat food utilization rates and accumulation of adipose tissue in the body, thus preventing development of increased body weight. The treatment also significantly reduced serum lipid levels, including levels of TC, TG and LDL-C. Treatment with P. eryngii-derived chitin also enhanced ALT and AST enzymatic activity, enhanced SOD enzymatic activity, and reduced the MDA content of the liver, as well as significantly reducing the liver index and alleviating liver steatosis and aortic atherosclerosis resulting from obesity. Conclusion. In conclusion, chitin from P. eryngii had therapeutic effects on hyperlipidemia, fatty liver, and aortic atherosclerosis resulting from obesity in rats.

Insect-Derived Chitin and Chitosan: A Still Unexploited Resource for the Edible Insect Sector

“…Triglyceride content and quantity of released glycerol were measured in order to study the inhibitory impact of CM-chitin on lipid accumulation [180,181]. The collected findings demonstrate that CM-chitin modulates phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase and aquaporin-7 to decrease triglyceride content and boost glycerol release [178,179]. Overall, it is clear that CM-chitin reduces lipid accumulation and has an anti-adipogenic impact.…”

“…Triglycerides are the most common form in which lipids are taken in via meals. Triglycerides are subsequently broken down by the pancreatic secretions, and the pancreatic lipase enzyme is responsible for the hydrolysis of triglycerides into glycerol and fatty acids, which are then absorbed by enterocytes [178,179]. Therefore, preventing this metabolic response is one approach that may be used to manage obesity.…”