Baru almond flour (dipteryx alata vog.) improves hepatic glutathione system in a high-fat diet murine model

Abstract

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has an effect on a range of individuals worldwide and it is characterized by steatosis, oxidative stress, lipotoxicity and inflammation. Dietary antioxidants are important for the efficient defense against oxidative damage. We hypothesized that baru almond (Dipteryx Alata Vog.) can be promising therapeutic agent to the NAFLD treatment. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of baru almond flour (BAF) on the lipid profile and antioxidant defenses in rats fed a high-fat diet. Forty Fisher rats were divided into the control group (C); baru control (CB); high-fat (H); and high-fat baru (HB) for 12 weeks. The high-fat diet reduced HDL-cholesterol, increased serum levels of non-HDL fraction, total cholesterol. Induced hepatic steatosis, liver damage and oxidative stress, as demonstrated by the presence of elevated aminotransferases and oxidized glutathione levels. BAF demonstrated a high content of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. Treatment with BAF attenuated serum cholesterol levels and improved the hepatic glutathione system, increasing glutathione content. These results show that BAF is a promising source of natural food antioxidants and has beneficial effects on the redox status in vivo. Further studies to elucidate its functional properties and underlying mechanisms are, therefore, required.