Protective effects of L-arabinose in high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet-induced metabolic syndrome
in rats
Sammanfattning
Background: L-Arabinose is a non-caloric sugar, which could affect glucose and lipid metabolism
and suppress obesity. However, few reports have described the effect of L-arabinose in metabolic
syndrome, a combination of medical disorders that increase the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular
disease.
Objective: This study was conducted to explore the effects of L-arabinose in rats with metabolic
syndrome induced by a high-carbohydrate, high-fat (HCHF) diet.
Methods: After the rat model for metabolic syndrome was successfully established, L-arabinose was
administrated by oral gavage for 6 weeks. The biochemical index and histological analysis were
measured, and the expression levels of genes related to fatty acid metabolism were analyzed using
real-time PCR.
Results: Following treatment with L-arabinose, metabolic syndrome rats had an obvious reduction in
body weight, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, triglycerides,
total cholesterol, serum insulin, TNF-a, and leptin. Further study showed that treatment with L-
arabinose significantly increased the expression of mRNA for hepatic CPT-1a and PDK4, but the
expression of mRNA for hepatic ACCa was reduced.
Conclusions: This work suggests that L-arabinose could lower body weight, Lee’s index, and visceral
index and improve dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, inflammation, and viscera function, which
indicate that it might be a promising candidate for therapies combating metabolic syndrome.