Early Intervention of Elateriospermum tapos Yoghurt in Obese Dams Mitigates Intergenerational Cognitive Deficits and Thigmotactic Behaviour in Male Offspring via the Modulation of Metabolic Profile

Abstract

Maternal obesity is an intergenerational vicious cycle and one of the primary causes of cognitive deficits and high anxiety levels in offspring, which often manifest independently of sex. It is proven that curbing the intergenerational inheritance of obesity through early intervention during the gestation period has a positive outcome on the body composition, cognitive function, and anxiety level of the offspring. A recent discovery shows that the consumption of Elateriospermum tapos (E. tapos) seed extract modulates body mass and ameliorates stress hormones in obese dams, while a probiotic bacterial strain can cross the placenta and boost a child’s memory. Thus, we speculate that probiotics are the best medium to integrate plant extract (E. tapos extract) to access the effect on the child’s cognition. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the early intervention of E. tapos yoghurt in obese dams in the cognition and anxiety levels of male offspring. In this study, 40 female rats were fed with a high-fat diet (HFD) to induce obesity before pregnancy, while another 8 rats were fed with standard rat pellets for 16 weeks. Upon successful copulation, treatment was initiated for the obese dams up to the postnatal day (PND) 21. The groups included normal chow and saline (NS), HFD and saline (HS), HFD and yoghurt (HY), HFD and 5 mg/kg E. tapos yoghurt (HYT5), HFD and 50 mg/kg E. tapos yoghurt (HYT50), and HFD and 500 mg/kg E. tapos yoghurt (HYT500). All rats were euthanised on PND 21, and the body mass index (BMI), Lee index, and waist circumference were measured for the male offspring. Hippocampal-dependent memory tests and open field tests were conducted to access for cognition and anxiety status. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), total fat (%), insulin, leptin, lipid profile, and antioxidant parameter on serum and hypothalamus (FRAP and GSH) were accessed on PND 21. The result shows male offspring of 50 mg/kg-supplemented obese dams have comparable total fat (%), lipid profile, insulin level, FBG level, plasma insulin level, recognition index, low anxiety level, and improved hypothalamic FRAP and GSH levels to the normal group. In conclusion, this study highlights that the effect of early intervention of our novel formulation of E. tapos yoghurt in obese dams alleviates cognitive deficits and anxiety in male offspring by modulating metabolic profiles at the dose of 50 mg/kg.

Remodulation Effect of Elateriospermum tapos Yoghurt on Metabolic Profile of Maternal Obesity Induced Cognitive Dysfunction and Anxiety-like Behavior in Female Offspring—An In Vivo Trial on Sprague Dawley Rats

“…Animal studies have demonstrated that excessive intake of HFD by dams during pregnancy leads to a high level of adiposity and cholesterol on PND 21 [ 37 , 38 ]. Similarly, a meta-regression study shows that female offspring of HFD fed dams shows persistent increase of triglycerides, FBG level, and insulin concentration [ 39 ].…”

Analyzing Active Compounds in Elateriospermum tapos Yogurt for Maternal Obesity: A Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Study

“…Consequently, male offspring are more likely to encounter a greater extent of adverse effects in utero compared to their female counterparts [34]. Considering the potential side effects associated with modern medicine, researchers led by Naomi et al, (2023) have developed a novel plant extract (E. tapos)-integrated yogurt that demonstrates transgenerational effects specifically targeting maternal obesity [10]. Despite its efficacy, the precise molecular mechanism underlying this effect remains largely unexplored.…”

“…Therefore, there is an urgency to develop complementary and alternative medications to curb maternal obesity. In these, a currently developed Elateriospermum tapos (E. tapos) yogurt has shown promising effect in maternal obesity [10] and the improvement of body composition in male and female offspring [11]. E. tapos yogurt has been found to possess a rich concentration of antioxidants and various other bioactive compounds.…”

Elateriospermum tapos Yoghurt as a Therapeutic Intervention for Obesity-Associated Cognitive Impairments and Anxiety-like Behaviour in a High Fat Diet Maternal Obese Rat Model

“…The oxidative status was measured in serum and hypothalamus as described in a previous study by Naomi et al, 2023 [ 32 ]. To determine the hypothalamic levels of FRAP and GSH, the hypothalamus was minced and diluted with ice-cold phosphate buffer saline (0.02 M) with a pH of 7 at a ratio of 1:15 ( w / v ).…”