Red raspberries can improve motor function in aged rats

Abstract

Abstract. BACKGROUND:Many foods rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds have been shown to increase health and reduce markers of aging. A number of berry fruits high in polyphenols are known to ameliorate age-related declines in cellular, cognitive and behavioral function in rats. OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a red raspberry-supplemented diet on age-sensitive measures of learning, memory and motor performance in aged (19 mo) F344 rats. METHODS: Red raspberry extract was prepared from fresh whole fruit and incorporated in standard rodent chow to create a 2% diet. Following ten weeks on a control or 2% raspberry diet, cognitive and motor performance was assessed using the Morris Water Maze (MWM) and a battery of five psychomotor tasks. RESULTS:The supplemented diet significantly improved performance on three of the five motor tasks, but did not affect MWM performance. Specifically, old rats fed the 2% raspberry diet had significantly better performance on the rod and plank walks, which measure psychomotor coordination and balance, and on the inclined screen, which measures muscle tone, strength, stamina and balance. CONCLUSIONS: Given that falls are the number one health hazard for otherwise healthy older adults, these results may have important implications for increasing healthy aging.

Characterization of the nutrient profile of processed red raspberries for use in nutrition labeling and promoting healthy food choices

“…Red raspberry juice intake improved the lipids profile, antioxidant status and reduced the risk of developing atherosclerosis in hamsters consuming an atherogenic diet [37]. Adding raspberry juice and purée to a high-fat diet decreased weight gain in a diet-induced obesity mouse model [38], and consuming a diet supplemented with freeze-dried red raspberry extract improved motor function in an aged rat model [39]. The healthpromoting benefits of processed red raspberries could be attributed to their high nutrient quality, low calorie and sugar content, as well as high polyphenol content, especially anthocyanins, which has been quantified previously [40][41][42].…”

Bioaccessible Raspberry Extracts Enriched in Ellagitannins and Ellagic Acid Derivatives Have Anti-Neuroinflammatory Properties

“…Among them, raspberries represent a good natural source of (poly)phenols with anti-inflammatory properties, such as ellagic acid, flavanols and phenolic acids [ 9 , 10 ], being also rich in other healthy compounds, such as β -sitosterol and vitamins C, E and folate. (Poly)phenol-enriched extracts from raspberry have been demonstrated to exhibit remarkable in vivo anti-inflammatory properties [ 11 , 12 ], as well as motor function improvement in aged rats [ 13 ]. Other studies also highlighted that a flavonoid-rich diet inhibits inflammatory aggravation in chronic disorders such as AD [ 14 ] or rheumatoid arthritis [ 12 ].…”

The healthy effects of strawberry bioactive compounds on molecular pathways related to chronic diseases

“…In a mouse model of diet‐induced obesity, regular strawberry consumption contributed to the maintenance of blood glucose and was effective in regulating several aspects of inflammation and its related dysfunction, as highlighted by the decrease in IL‐6, TNF‐α, C‐reactive protein (CRP), and plasminogen activator inhibitor . Rats exposed to 1.5 Gy irradiation of Fe particles showed, after strawberry consumption, a reduction of prooxidant load and inflammation in critical regions of the brain, through the reduction of ROS production and a decrease in inflammatory signals, such as cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) and NF‐κB, which have been detected after berry consumption . Similar results were obtained with fisetin in a stroke mouse model: inhibition of intracerebral immune cell activation and the inflammatory response was observed, suggesting a neuroprotective effect of this phenolic compound .…”