Efeito anti-inflamatório e antioxidante de feijões caupi (Vigna unguiculata(L.)Walp.) biofortificados em ratos depletados em ferro alimentados com dieta rica em gordura e açúcar
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Data
2025-08-21
Autores
Corrêa, Marisa da Silva
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Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo
Resumo
The Western diet is characterized by high levels of saturated fat and sugar, which promote metabolic alterations such as oxidative and inflammatory stress; both decrease iron absorption and favor the development of non-communicable chronic diseases. Iron-biofortified cowpea has shown promising effects, as it contains bioactive compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions and is also rich in iron, proteins, vitamins, and fibers. Therefore, the present study evaluated the anti inflammatory and antioxidant effects of iron-biofortified cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) compared with conventional cowpea in anemic rats fed a high-fat and high-sugar diet. Three cowpea cultivars were used: one conventional (Pajeú) and two biofortified (Aracê and Tumucumaque). The physicochemical composition and antioxidant capacity of the cowpea flours were analyzed. The experiment was divided into two phases. In Phase 1 (depletion), the animals received an iron-free AIN-93G diet and were distributed into two groups: a control group with a normocaloric diet (NS) (n=12) and a group fed a high-fat (30%) and high-sugar (30%) diet (HFHS) (n=48) for 21 days. In Phase 2 (repletion), the diets contained 12 ppm of iron derived from ferrous sulfate or cowpeas. The NS group continued receiving ferrous sulfate, and the HFHS group was redistributed into four groups: HFHS + ferrous sulfate (HS), and HFHS containing cowpea flours from Pajeú (HP), Aracê (HA), and Tumucumaque (HT) for 35 days. At the end of Phase 2, the animals were euthanized, and blood, liver, and adipose tissue were collected. Body weight, food intake, hemoglobin, serum ferritin, hepatic hepcidin, cytokines (TNF-α and IL-10), oxidative stress enzymes (SOD, catalase, nitric oxide), and total antioxidant capacity (CAT) in the liver and adipose tissue were evaluated. The morphology and inflammatory infiltrate of the adipose tissue were analyzed by histology. Data were analyzed by ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test (p<0.05) using GraphPad Prism. Pajeú showed higher antioxidant capacity by ABTS, while the biofortified cultivars Aracê and Tumucumaque showed greater antioxidant capacity by FRAP method. In the biological assay, HT showed lower serum ferritin levels (p<0.05) compared with HS. In the liver, HA reduced the inflammatory process compared with HS, showing antiinflammatory activity, while the HP conventional cultivar showed higher levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. The cowpea cultivars did not change hepatic hepcidin concentrations (p<0.05), whereas HS increased hepcidin (p<0.05). Regarding hepatic oxidative stress, Aracê and Pajeú increased NO and SOD levels, and the biofortified cultivars elevated CAT levels compared with HS. Catalase did not differ among groups. In adipose tissue, SOD and catalase showed no differences among groups; however, HS reduced CAT (p<0.05), and HP increased NO levels. Histological analysis showed no predominant inflammatory infiltrate in adipose tissue. However, the HS group increased (p<0.05) adipocyte area, whereas HT and HP reduced it (p<0.05), resulting in smaller adipocytes. Therefore, the biofortified cowpea cultivars reduced oxidative stress and inflammation in the liver, with Aracê showing the most prominent effect. The cowpea cultivars did not influence oxidative stress or inflammation in adipose tissue and did not alter hepcidin levels. However, they reduced fat accumulation in adipocytes, mitigating the complications of a Western diet and representing an alternative to modulate metabolic alterations
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Antioxidante natural , Composto bioativo , Anemia , Estresse oxidativo , Leguminosas , Feijão-caupi , Natural antioxidant , Bioactive compound , Anemia , Oxidative stress , Legumes