Influence of low molecular weight compounds associated to cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) fiber on lipid metabolism, glycemia and insulinemia of normal mice

Publication date: Available online 21 December 2017
Source:Bioactive Carbohydrates and Dietary Fibre
Author(s): Diana Valesca Carvalho, Flávia Almeida Santos, Renan Pereira de Lima, Ana Flávia Seraine Custódio Viana, Said Gonçalves Cruz Fonseca, Paulo Iury Gomes Nunes, Tiago Sousa de Melo, Maria Izabel Gallão, Edy Sousa de Brito
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of cashew fiber wheter or not associated with low molecular weight compounds on lipid profile, abdominal adiposity, glycemia and insulinemia and serum concentration of ghrelin and leptin hormones from normal mice. We evaluated the cashew fiber in its integral form (IcF) and the cashew fiber after being submitted to the process of extraction of low molecular weight metabolites (cFSM). The two fibers were incorporated into the feed of male Swiss mice for 15 weeks. At the end of the treatment, blood glucose, total cholesterol and fractions, triglycerides, urea, AST, ALT, hormone levels of insulin, leptin and ghrelin were analyzed, as well as GSH and hepatic MDA. The consumption of cFSM diet promoted reduction of glycemia, insulin and ghrelin. Animals fed the IcF diet showed hyperlipidemia, hyperleptinemia and increased abdominal fat. In addition, no changes were observed in the lipid profile of the animals, in the abdominal adiposity and in the leptin hormone in the group that received cFSM diet. We conclude that the removal of small molecules is fundamental to use cashew fiber as a functional food with possible health benefits.

Graphical abstract

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