Efeitos farmacológicos de extrato de mirtilo (V. virgatum) em modelo animal de síndrome metabólica

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is characterized by a combination of cardiovascular risk factors including hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, visceral obesity, dyslipidemia and hypertension. Studies suggest that the increased energy intake can enhance the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which has been directly related to the complications of MetS and to the development of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. Bioactive compounds of blueberry (Vaccinium virgatum) have demonstrated beneficial effects to alterations observed in the MetS. Therefore, in the present study we investigated the effect of blueberry fruit extract on metabolic, behavioral and oxidative stress in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex of mice submitted to an experimental model of MetS induced by a highly palatable diet (DHP). Mice C57/BL6 were divided into 4 experimental groups: (1) received standard chow and saline orally, (2) standard chow and blueberry hydroalcoholic extract (200 mg/kg, p.o), (3) DHP and saline orally, (4) DHP and blueberry hydroalcoholic extract (200 mg/kg, p.o). The animals were treated for 150 days. Our results showed that the animals treated with DHP presented insulin resistance, increased body weight, visceral fat, glucose, triglycerides, and total cholesterol when compared to control group. However, the blueberry extract prevented the increase in these metabolic parameters. Similarly, the blueberry extract was able to reduce the levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of animals submitted to DHP. In contrast, no differences were observed in the total thiol content, activity of the antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). In addition, the DHP fed animals showed a significant increase in immobility time in the forced swimming test and blueberry prevented this alteration. However, no changes were observed in the ambulatory behavior, as well as anxiolytic profile of these animals. Altogether, our findings suggest that blueberry extract, administered chronically, exhibit hypoglycemic, antidyslipidemic, antidepressant-like and antiperoxidative effects in an animal model of MetS.