Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) supplemented cafeteria diet ameliorates glucose intolerance in rats

Abstract

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a pseudocereal with rich nutritional composition, gluten free, and organoleptic. The primary aim of this study was to elucidate the possible protective roles of quinoa in glucose homeostasis in a model of cafeteria diet‐induced obesity. Male Wistar rats (3 weeks of age) were randomly allocated to be fed by; control chow (CON; n = 6), quinoa (QUI; n = 6), cafeteria (CAF; n = 6), or quinoa and cafeteria (CAFQ; n = 6) for 15 weeks. CAFQ resulted in decreased saturated fat, sugar, and sodium intake in comparison with CAF. Compared to CON, CAF increased body weight gain, plasma insulin, plasma glucose, decreased liver IRS‐1, AMPK mRNA expressions, and pancreatic β‐cell insulin immunoreactivity, and developed hepatocyte degeneration and microvesicular steatosis. Compared to CAF, QUI lowered body weight, plasma glucose, and plasma insulin, increased liver IRS‐1 and AMPK mRNA expressions, and pancreatic β‐cell insulin immunoreactivity. Compared to CAF, CAFQ lowered plasma glucose, increased liver IRS‐1 mRNA expressions, increased pancreatic β‐cell insulin immunoreactivity, and lowered hepatocyte degeneration and microvesicular steatosis. Dietary treatments did not influence IRS‐2, AKT2, and INSR mRNA expressions. HOMA‐IR, HOMA‐β, and QUICKI were also similar between groups. Restoration of insulin in CAFQ islets was as well as that of CON and QUI groups. In conclusion, as a functional food, quinoa may be useful in the prevention of obesity and associated metabolic outcomes such as glucose intolerance, disrupted pancreatic β‐cell function, hepatic insulin resistance, and lipid accumulation.

The protective role of carnosine against type 2 diabetes‐induced cognitive impairment

“…In addition, insulin plays a critical role in neuronal function through the PI3K/Akt and Ras/mitogen‐activated kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways (Ko et al., 2023 ; Sedzikowska & Szablewski, 2021 ). Through the insulin receptor substrate (IRS)/Akt signaling pathways, insulin increases neurite outgrowth, regulates synaptic plasticity (long‐term potentiation and long‐term depression), facilitates dendritic spine formation and promotes development of excitatory synapses, and suppresses neuron apoptosis (Arnold et al., 2018 ; Kim & Han, 2005 ; Ozcaliskan Ilkay et al., 2023 ). The MAPK signaling pathways include extracellular signal‐regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2), p38, and JNKs, which are involved in cell growth, survival, and gene expression to promote memory formation (Arnold et al., 2018 ).…”