Efeitos do subproduto de acerola sobre o metabolismo lipídico, marcadores inflamatórios e oxidativos relacionados ao eixo entero-hepático de ratos dislipidêmicos

Abstract

Dyslipidaemia is characterized by dysregulation of lipid metabolism and its progression induces inflammation and oxidative stress. The primary treatment for dyslipidaemia includes a healthy/balanced diet and, when necessary, the use of drug therapy. The Malpighia emarginata DC. (acerola) is a tropical fruit rich in bioactive compounds and extensively processed to obtain the pulp, whose by-product has been shown positive effects in the treatment of dyslipidaemia. However, the acerola by-product does not yet have a sustainable destination in the food production chain and is generally discarded in the environment. In this sense, the objective was to investigate the effects of acerola by-product administration on lipid metabolism, inflammatory and oxidative markers along the enterohepatic axis of dyslipidaemic rats. Forty Wistar rats were initially randomized into healthy (HG, n = 16) and dyslipidaemic (DG, n = 24) groups, which consumed, respectively, a control diet and a diet rich in cholesterol, saturated and trans-fatty acids for 21 days. When the disease was detected in the dyslipidaemic groups on the 22nd day, the rats were subdivided into groups (n = 8): healthy (HG), healthy with the administration of acerola by-product (HGA), dyslipidaemic (DG), dyslipidaemic treated with fenofibrate (DGF), and dyslipidaemic with the administration of acerola by-product (DGA), with the consumption of the respective diets remaining for another 28 days. During this same period, DGA and HGA received gavage with acerola by-product at a dose of 400 mg/kg of body weight, DGF received the fenofibrate drug via gavage (100 mg/kg of body weight), DG and HG received gavage with distilled water. The acerola by-product contained the bioactive compounds soluble (184.25 ± 6.72 mg/g) and insoluble (436.51 ± 4.86 mg/g) dietary fibres, 1- kestose (3.69 ± 1.69 mg/g), ascorbic acid (2022.06 ± 20.24 μg/g) and total phenolic compounds (5366.44 μg/g); and showed a high antioxidant potential (1103.33 ± 25.17 μmol ferrous sulfate/g). Administration of acerola by-product to DGA rats reduced (P≤0.05) blood lipid values, body weight, liver cholesterol, liver triglycerides, liver total lipids, microbial production of organic acids, and the expression of pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages in the colon (44.01%) and liver (25.25%); increased (P≤0.05) the faecal excretion of fats and bile acids (55.91%), the beneficial bacteria counts in faecal material, the expression of anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages in the colon (68.55%) and liver (50.94%), and the total amount of phenolic compounds in colon and liver. The acerola by-product managed to protect HGA and DGA rats against lipid peroxidation, however, it did not reverse the damage to deoxyribonucleic acid in serum from DGA rats (P>0.05). The results point to the functional/nutraceutical potential of the acerola by-product in the prevention and treatment of dyslipidaemia, possibly associated with its content of bioactive compounds. Furthermore, the results of this research may support other non-clinical and clinical studies; encourage the commercial exploitation of the acerola by-product through direct use in human consumption or as an ingredient in functional foods, thus, contributing to the environmental and economic sustainability of the food industry.