Wild blueberries attenuate risk factors of the metabolic syndrome

Abstract

Abstract. The ability of a wild blueberry-enriched diet to improve risk factors related to Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) such as endothelial dysfunction and chronic inflammation in the Obese Zucker Rat (OZR), a model of the MetS, was studied.Obese Zucker Rats (OZRs) and their lean controls (LZR) were placed either on a Wild Blueberry-enriched (WB) or a control (C) diet for 8 weeks. Obese Zucker rats exhibited reduced vasoconstrictor response to phenylephrine (Phe) and exaggerated vasorelaxant response to acetylcholine (Ach). WB diet partially restored Phe-induced constrictor responses and attenuated Ach-induced relaxant responses in OZR. Plasma nitric oxide (NO) was significantly attenuated and aortic effluent prostaglandin I 2 PGI 2 concentration significantly increased in the WB diet. Downregulation of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in the OZR aorta was observed in the WB diet.WB consumption decreased plasma concentrations of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-␣ (-25.6%, P < 0.05), interleukin (IL)-6 (-14.9%, P < 0.05), C-reactive protein (CRP) (-13.1%, P < 0.05) and increased adiponectin concentration (+21.8%, P < 0.05). Expression of IL-6, TNF-␣ and nuclear factor (NF)-kB was downregulated in both the liver (-65%, -59% and -25%, respectively) and the abdominal adipose tissue (-64%, -52% and -65%), while CRP expression was down regulated only in the liver (-25%). Thus, WB consumption improved endothelial function and exerted an anti-inflammatory effect in the OZR.

The Effect of Berry‐Based Food Interventions on Markers of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

“…Global dietary recommendations emphasize the consumption of a diet rich in cardioprotective foods such as whole grains, fruit and vegetables, nuts, and fish. Berries have gained strong recognition in recent times for their putative health benefits which has led to a 21% global increase in berry production . Berries are a rich source of micronutrients and also contain bioactive components such as polyphenols, including anthocyanins, ellagitannins, and flavonols …”

“…Berries have gained strong recognition in recent times for their putative health benefits which has led to a 21% global increase in berry production. [4,5] Berries are a rich source of micronutrients and also contain bioactive components DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.201700645 such as polyphenols, including anthocyanins, ellagitannins, and flavonols. [6] In the prospective Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease Risk Factor study which consisted of 1950 men with no prior history of CVD events, men with the highest daily consumption of berries had a significantly lower risk of CVD-related mortality (Risk Ratio [Confidence Interval]: 0.59 [0.…”

Effect of Low-Fat Diets Enriched with Fruit Purees on the Biochemical Markers of Metabolic Syndrome Analogy Induced-Rats

“…The polyphenol-enriched diet (principally from berries) has shown to significantly improve the oxidative stress markers by decreasing lipid peroxidation and ameliorating the serum lipid profile of subjects through a reduction of total cholesterol, LDL-C, and triacylglycerol levels in healthy and dyslipidemic subjects. Cyanidin 3-O-b-d-glucoside-rich blackberries modulate hepatic gene expression, and has anti-obesity effects (Klimis-Zacas et al, 2016). Therefore, polyphenols seem to be the most likely constituents exerting in vivo effects in the prevention of cardiovascular disease risk.…”

Biotic elicitation as a tool to improve strawberry and raspberry extract potential on metabolic syndrome‐related enzymes in vitro

“…Several studies have reported that diet is a very promising path to prevent metabolic syndrome. It can even reverse the progression of type II diabetes, and is also very important for reducing pharmacological treatments in type‐II diabetes patients …”

“…It can even reverse the progression of type II diabetes, and is also very important for reducing pharmacological treatments in type-II diabetes patients. 17 On the other hand, due to their sessile nature, plants have developed a specific secondary metabolism that improves their capacity to adapt to the environment. 18 As environmental conditions www.soci.org E Gutierrez-Albanchez et al…”