Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The STEP trials

A round-up of the STEP phase 3 clinical trials evaluating semaglutide for weight loss in people with overweight or obesity.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies 1/2016

Open Access 01-12-2016 | Research article

Red pitaya juice supplementation ameliorates energy balance homeostasis by modulating obesity-related genes in high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet-induced metabolic syndrome rats

Authors: Nurul Shazini Ramli, Patimah Ismail, Asmah Rahmat

Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies | Issue 1/2016

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Red pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus) or known as buah naga merah in Malay belongs to the cactus family, Cactaceae. Red pitaya has been shown to give protection against liver damage and may reduce the stiffness of the heart. Besides, the beneficial effects of red pitaya against obesity have been reported; however, the mechanism of this protection is not clear. Therefore, in the present study, we have investigated the red pitaya-targeted genes in obesity using high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet-induced metabolic syndrome rat model.

Methods

A total of four groups were tested: corn-starch (CS), corn-starch + red pitaya juice (CRP), high-carbohydrate, high-fat (HCHF) and high-carbohydrate, high-fat + red pitaya juice (HRP). The intervention with 5 % red pitaya juice was continued for 8 weeks after 8 weeks initiation of the diet. Retroperitoneal, epididymal and omental fat pads were collected and weighed. Plasma concentration of IL-6 and TNF-α were measured using commercial kits. Gene expression analysis was conducted using RNA extracted from liver samples. A total of eighty-four genes related to obesity were analyzed using PCR array.

Results

The rats fed HCHF-diet for 16 weeks increased body weight, developed excess abdominal fat deposition and down-regulated the expression level of IL-1α, IL-1r1, and Cntfr as compared to the control group. Supplementation of red pitaya juice for 8 weeks increased omental and epididymal fat but no change in retroperitoneal fat was observed. Red pitaya juice reversed the changes in energy balance homeostasis in liver tissues by regulation of the expression levels of Pomc and Insr. The increased protein expression levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in HCHF group and red pitaya treated rats confirmed the results of gene expression.

Conclusion

Collectively, this study revealed the usefulness of this diet-induced rat model and the beneficial effects of red pitaya on energy balance homeostasis by modulating the anorectic, orexigenic and energy expenditure related genes.
Literature
1.
Youngson NA, Morris MJ. What obesity research tells us about epigenetic mechanisms. Phil Trans R Soc B. November 2012;2013(368).
2.
Spiegelman BM, Flier JS, Israel B, Medical D. Obesity and the Regulation of Energy Balance. Cell. 2001;104:531–43.CrossRefPubMed
3.
Hill JO, Wyatt HR, Peters JC, Hill JO, Wyatt HR, Peters JC. Energy Balance and Obesity Energy Balance: Definitions. J Am Heart Assoc. 2012;126:126–32.
4.
Farooqi IS. Genetic, molecular and physiological insights into human obesity. Eur J Clin Investig. 2010;41 suppl 4:451–5.
5.
Harvey R, Ferrier D. Lippincott’s Ilustrated Reviews: Biochemistry. Pennsylvania: Wolters Kluwer Health: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2011.
6.
Egecioglu E, Skibicka KP, Hansson C, Alvarez-crespo M, Friberg PA, Jerlhag E, et al. Hedonic and incentive signals for body weight control. Rev Endocrinol Metab Disord. 2011;12:141–51.
7.
Esquivel P, Stintzing FC, Carle R. Phenolic compound profiles and their corresponding antioxidant Capacity of purple pitaya (Hylocereus sp.) genotypes. J Biosci. 2007;62(9–10):636–44.
8.
Mohd Adzim Khalili R, Norhayati AH, Rokiah MY, Asmah R, Siti Muskinah M, Abdul Manaf A. Hypocholestrolemic effect of red pitaya (Hylocereus sp.) on hypercholesterolemia induced rats. Int Food Res J. 2009;16:431–40.
9.
Omidizadeh A, Yusof RM, Ismail A, Roohinejad S, Nateghi L, Zuki M, et al. Cardioprotective compounds of red pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus) fruit. J Food Agric Environ. 2011;9:152–6.
10.
Ramli NS, Brown L, Ismail P, Rahmat A. Effects of red pitaya juice supplementation on cardiovascular and hepatic changes in high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet-induced metabolic syndrome rats. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2014;14:189.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
11.
Panchal SK, Poudyal H, Arumugam TV, Brown L. Rutin Attenuates Metabolic Changes, Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis, and Cardiovascular Remodeling in High-carbohydrate, high-fat Fed Rats. J Nutr. 2011;141 Suppl 20:1062–9.CrossRefPubMed
12.
Poudyal H, Panchal S, Brown L. Comparison of purple carrot juice and β-carotene in a high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet-fed rat model of the metabolic syndrome. Br J Nutr. 2010;104 Suppl 9:1322–32.CrossRefPubMed
13.
14.
Yan-fang T, Dong W, Li P, Wen-li Z, Jun L, Na W, Jian W, Xing F, Yin-Hong L, Jian N, Jian P. Analyzing the gene expression profile of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia with real-time PCR arrays. Cancer Cell Int. 2012;12(1):1.CrossRef
15.
16.
Lukaszewski M, Mayeur S, Fajardy I, Delahaye F, Dutriez-casteloot I, Montel V, Dickes-coopman A, Laborie C, Lesage J, Vieau D, Breton C. Maternal prenatal undernutrition programs adipose tissue gene expression in adult male rat offspring under high-fat diet. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2011;3:548–59.CrossRef
17.
Delahaye F, Lukaszewski M, Wattez J, Cisse O, Dutriez-casteloot I, Fajardy I, Montel V, Chopmann AD, Laborie C, Lesage J, Breton C, Vieau D. Maternal perinatal undernutrition programs a “ brown-like ” phenotype of gonadal white fat in male rat at weaning. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2010;299(2):101–10.CrossRef
18.
Bauwens JD, Schmuck EG, Lindholm CR, Ertel RL, Mulligan JD, Hovis I, Viollet B, Saupe KW. Cold tolerance, cold-induced hyperphagia, and nonshivering thermogenesis are normal in α1 -AMPK −/− mice. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2011;301:473–83.CrossRef
19.
García MC, Wernstedt I, Berndtsson A, Enge M, Bell M, Hultgren O, Horn M, Ahren B, Enerbeck S, Ohlssen C, Wallenius V, Jansson JO. Mature-Onset Obesity in Interleukin-1 Receptor I Knockout Mice. Diabetes. 2006;55:1205–13.
20.
Curti MLR, Borges MC, Rogero MM, Ferreira SRG. Studies of Gene Variants Related to Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, Dyslipidemia, and Obesity: Implications for a Nutrigenetic Approach. J Obes. 2011;2011:497401.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
21.
Veerdonk FL, Van D, Netea MG. New insights in the immunobiology of IL-1 family members. Front Immunol. 2013;4:1–11.
22.
Kamari Y, Werman-venkert R, Shaish A, Werman A, Harari A, Gonen A, Voronov E, Grosskopfa I, Shaeabib Y, Grossmanb E, Iwakurae Y, Dinarello CA, Aptec RN, Harats D. Differential role and tissue specificity of interleukin-1α gene expression in atherogenesis and lipid metabolism. Atherosclerosis. 2007;195:31–8.CrossRefPubMed
23.
Rocha VZ, Libby P. The Metabolic Syndrome and Atherogenesis. In: Grundy SM, editor. Atlas of Atherosclerosis and Metabolic Syndrome. New York Dordrecht Heidelberg London: Springer; 2011. p. 45–58.CrossRef
24.
Maury E, Brichard SM. Adipokine dysregulation, adipose tissue inflammation and metabolic syndrome. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2010;314 Suppl 1:1–16.CrossRefPubMed
25.
26.
Gregersen S, Heilbronn LK, Campbell LV. Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Responses to High-Carbohydrate and High-Fat Meals in Healthy Humans. J Nutr Metab. 2012;1–8.
27.
Dinarello CA, Netea MG. The Interleuki-1 Family: Role in inflammation and diseases. In Yoshimoto T, Yoshimoto T, editors. Cytokine Frontiers:Regulation of immune responses in health and diseases. London: Springer Tokyo Heidelberg New York Dordrecht; 2014. pp. 3–52.
28.
Phieler J, Garcia-martin R, Lambris JD, Chavakis T. Seminars in Immunology. The role of the complement system in metabolic organs and metabolic diseases. Semin Immunol. 2013;25(1):47–53.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
29.
Wei J, Lin C, Chiang C, Carter AM. Obesity and clustering of cardiovascular disease risk factors are associated with elevated plasma complement C3 in children and adolescents. Pediatr Diabetes. 2012;13:476–83.CrossRefPubMed
30.
Gupta A, Rezvani R, Lapointe M, Poursharifi P, Marceau P, Tiwari S. Downregulation of Complement C3 and C3aR Expression in Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue in Obese Women. PLoS One. 2014;9 Suppl 4:1–9.
31.
Couvreur O, Aubourg A, Crépin D, Degrouard J, Gertler A, Taouis M, Vacher C. The anorexigenic cytokine ciliary neurotrophic factor stimulates POMC gene expression via receptors localized in the nucleus of arcuate neurons. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2012;302(57):458–67.CrossRef
32.
Vacher C, Aubourg A, Couvreur O, Bailleux V, Nicolas V, Cre D. A putative physiological role of hypothalamic CNTF in the control of energy homeostasis. FEBS Lett. 2008;582:3832–8.CrossRefPubMed
33.
Jeong JK, Jae J, Kim JG, Lee BJ. Participation of the central melanocortin system in metabolic regulation and energy homeostasis. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2014;71 Suppl 19:3799–809.CrossRefPubMed
34.
Montgomery IA, Irwin N, Flatt P. Beneficial Effects of (pGlu-Gln) -CCK-8 on Energy Intake and Metabolism in High Fat Fed Mice are Associated with Alterations of Hypothalamic Gene Expression. Hormonal Metab Res. 2013;45:471–3.CrossRef
35.
Mehta R, Birerdinc A, Wang L, Younoszai Z, Moazzez A, Elariny H, Goodman Z, Chandhoke Baranova A, Younossi ZM. Expression of energy metabolism related genes in the gastric tissue of obese individuals with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. BMC Gastroenterol. 2014;14 Suppl 1:1–9.
36.
Nteeba J, Ross JW, Ii JWP, Keating AF. High fat diet induced obesity alters ovarian phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase signaling gene expression. Reprod Toxicol. 2013;42:68–77.CrossRefPubMed
37.
38.
Schwinkendorf DR, Tsatsos NG, Gosnell BA, et al. Effects of central administration of distinct fatty acids on hypothalamic neuropeptide expression and energy metabolism. Int J Obes (Lond). 2011;35:336–44.CrossRef
39.
Cansell C, Luquet S. Hypothalamic regulation of energy balance : a key role for DICER miRNA processing in arcuate POMC neurons. Mol Metab. 2013;2 Suppl 2:55–7.CrossRef
40.
Erman A, Veilleux A, Tchernof A, Goodyer CG. Human growth hormone receptor (GHR) expression in obesity : I.GHR mRNA expression in omental and subcutaneous adipose tissues of obese women. Int J Obes. 2011;35(12):1511–9.CrossRef
41.
Fujimoto K, Fukagawa K, Sakata T, Tso P. Suppression of food intake by apolipoprotein A-IV is mediated through the central nervous system in rats. J Clin Investig. 1993;91:1830–3.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
42.
Feng Y, Guan X, Li J, Metzger JM, Zhu Y, Juhl K, Zhang BB, Thornberry NA, Reitman ML, Zhou, YP. Bombesin Receptor Subtype-3 (BRS-3) Regulates Glucose-Stimulated Insulin Secretion in Pancreatic Islets across Multiple Species. Endocrinology. 2011;2011(3 Suppl):4106–15.
43.
Mauger JF, Levesque J, Paradis ME, Bergeron N, Tchemof A, Couture P, Lamarche B. Intravascular Kinetics of C-Reactive Protein and Their Relationships with Features of the Metabolic Syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metabol. 2008;93:3158–64.
44.
Thongtang N, Diffenderfer MR, Ooi EMM, Asztalos BF, Dolnikowski GG, Lamon-fava S, Schaefer EJ. Effects of atorvastatin on human C-reactive protein metabolism. Atherosclerosis. 2013;226 Suppl 2:466–70.CrossRefPubMed
45.
Terra X, Montagut G, Bustos M, Llopiz N, Ardèvol A, Bladé C, Fernández-larrea J, Pujadas G, Salvadó J, Arola L. Grape-seed procyanidins prevent low-grade inflammation by modulating cytokine expression in rats fed a high-fat diet. J Nutr Biochem. 2009;20 Suppl 3:210–8.CrossRefPubMed
46.
Malavazos AE, Corsi MM, Ermetici F, Coman C, Sardanelli F, Rossi A, Morricone L, Ambrosi B. Proinflammatory cytokines and cardiac abnormalities in uncomplicated obesity: relationship with abdominal fat deposition. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2007;17 Suppl 4:294–302.CrossRefPubMed
47.
Lyngdoh T, Vollenweider P, Waeber G, Marques-Vidal P. Association of statins with inflammatory cytokines: a population-based Colaus study. Atherosclerosis. 2011;219 Suppl 1:253–8.CrossRefPubMed
48.
Baboota RK, Murtaza N, Jagtap S, Singh DP, Karmase A, Kaur J, Bhutani KK, Boparaid RK, Premkumare LS, Kondepudia KK, Bishnoi M. Capsaicin-induced transcriptional changes in hypothalamus and alterations in gut microbial count in high fat diet fed mice. J Nutr Biochem. 2014;25:893–902.CrossRefPubMed
Metadata
Title
Red pitaya juice supplementation ameliorates energy balance homeostasis by modulating obesity-related genes in high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet-induced metabolic syndrome rats
Authors
Nurul Shazini Ramli
Patimah Ismail
Asmah Rahmat
Publication date
01-12-2016
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 2662-7671
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-016-1200-3

Other articles of this Issue 1/2016

BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies 1/2016 Go to the issue

Research article

KBH-1, an herbal composition, improves hepatic steatosis and leptin resistance in high-fat diet-induced obese rats

Research article

Protective effect of Sheng-Mai Yin, a traditional Chinese preparation, against doxorubicin-induced cardiac toxicity in rats

Research article

Citrus junos Tanaka peel ameliorates hepatic lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells and in mice fed a high-cholesterol diet

Research article

Alkaloids from piper longum protect dopaminergic neurons against inflammation-mediated damage induced by intranigral injection of lipopolysaccharide

Research article

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) inhibits imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like inflammation of BALB/c mice

Research article

Brazilian propolis mitigates impaired glucose and lipid metabolism in experimental periodontitis in mice