Progressive Alterations in Adipose Tissue Depots and Carbohydrate Metabolism in Mice Fed a High Fat Diet (HF) and drinking Momordica charantia (Mc) tea
Authors: Franco Filipe Nogueira , Porto Marcos Augusto Nascimento , Silva Karine Emanuelle , Oliveira Michael Eder , Santos Maria Emilia Soares Martins 
Published: November 2023

The consumption of a high fat diet is able to induce several alterations in metabolism including obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes. Mc is a nutrient‐dense plant with some important properties like antidiabetic, anti‐inflammation and antioxidant. The aim of this work was evaluate if Mc is able to prevent alterations in adipose tissue depots and carbohydrate metabolism during a progressive HFD intake. Male mice (n=6/group) were fed with a control (C) or high fat (HF) diets for 4 or 8 weeks (C4, C8, HF4,HF8). They also received water or Mc tea for the same period (CP4, CP8, HFP4, HFP8). Food (g) and water or tea intake (ml) were measured daily. Body weight (g) was evaluated weekly. After 4 or 8 weeks, non fasting blood glucose levels (GLU) (mg/dl) were measured using a commercial kit. Glucose tolerance test (GTT) was also performed. A basal blood sample was obtained after a 6 hours fasting. A bolus of glucose (2g/kg) was then ip administered. Blood samples were acquired at 30, 60, and 120 min following the glucose bolus for measurement of blood glucose using a glucometer. Epididymal (EAT) and retroperitoneal (RAT) adipose tissue depots were collected and weighted (g). Results were expressed as mean ± SEM. Data were analyzed using T‐test. P<0.05 was considered significant for all data.

No difference was observed in body weight, food and water or tea intake in any group. There was not either difference between C4 vs C8 or CP4 vs CP8 at EAT. An increase ~220% was observed in HF8 (2.24) vs C8 (0.70) and also an increase ~105% in HF8 (2.24) vs HF4 (1.09) at EAT. HFP8 (1.47) showed a decrease ~45% of EAT vs HFP4 (2.66). There was not either difference between C4 vs C8 or CP4 vs CP8 at RAT. An increase ~200% in HF8 (0.82) vs C8 (0.27) and also an increase ~100% in HF8 (0.81) vs HF4 (0.41) was observed in RAT. There was a tendency to decrease RAT in HFP8 (0.53) vs HFP4 (0.74). There was an increase of ~45% in HF4 (221.2) vs C4 (152.5) and a decrease ~31% in HFP4 (152.0) vs HF4 (221.2) at GLU. There was also a decrease ~17% in HFP8 (278.0) vs HF8 (336.7) and an increase ~52% in HF8 (336.7) vs HF4 (221.2) at GLU. No difference in GTT was observed between HF4 and HFP4. Glucose levels were higher in HF8 vs HF4 at 30′ and 60′. A decrease ~26% HFP8 (149.0) vs HF8 (200.0) was observed at 120′. Glucose levels of HFP8 (149.0) were lower (~41%) in comparison with HFP4 (252.0) at 120′.

In conclusion, we observed a progressive alteration in lipid accumulation and carbohydrate metabolism based in the duration of HFD feeding. Mc seems to be efficient in the of control glycemia and to prevent the increase of lipid depots. We speculate that Mc could be useful on the prevention of some metabolic disorders maybe because their ant‐inflammatory effect, probably decreasing the pro‐inflammatory cytokines production by adipose tissue.

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