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Castanea sativa Mill. bark extract cardiovascular effects in a rat model of high-fat diet
Matteo Micucci1, Roberta Budriesi1, Rita Aldini1
1Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Insights
Castanea sativa Mill. bark extract (ENC) effectively counteracts high-fat diet (HFD) effects on cardiovascular health. ENC reduces weight gain, improves cardiac function, and exerts a spasmolytic effect on the aorta in HFD rats.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Pharmacology
- Nutraceutical Research
- Obesity and Metabolic Disorders
Background:
- Ellagitannins show potential benefits for cardiovascular diseases.
- High-fat diets (HFD) induce detrimental cardiac and vascular changes.
- Castanea sativa Mill. bark extract (ENC) is rich in ellagitannins.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of HFD on cardiac and vascular parameters in rats.
- To assess the efficacy of Castanea sativa Mill. bark extract (ENC) in mitigating HFD-induced effects.
- To explore ENC's potential as a nutraceutical tool for obesity-related cardiovascular dysfunction.
Main Methods:
- Rats were assigned to four groups: regular diet (RD), HFD, RD + ENC, and HFD + ENC.
- Evaluated body weight, serum biochemical parameters, and inflammatory cytokines.
- Assessed cardiac function (isolated atria) and aorta contractility (ex vivo and in vitro).
Main Results:
- ENC significantly reduced HFD-induced weight gain and improved serum lipid profiles.
- HFD impaired left atrial contractility and aorta contractility, while ENC reversed these effects.
- ENC demonstrated positive inotropic and negative chronotropic effects on isolated atria and a spasmolytic effect on the aorta.
Conclusions:
- Castanea sativa Mill. bark extract (ENC) effectively restores metabolic dysfunction in HFD rats.
- ENC normalizes cardiac cholinergic muscarinic receptor function and exerts a spasmolytic effect on the aorta.
- ENC shows promise as a nutraceutical intervention for managing obesity-related cardiovascular complications.
Abstract:
Ellagitannins may have a beneficial impact in cardiovascular diseases. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of high-fat diet (HFD) and the efficacy of Castanea sativa Mill. bark extract (ENC) on cardiac and vascular parameters. Rats were fed with regular diet, (RD, n = 15), HFD (n = 15), RD + ENC (20 mg/kg/day by gavage, n = 15), and HFD + ENC (same dose, n = 15) and the effects on body weight, biochemical serum parameters, and inflammatory cytokines determined. Cardiac functional parameters and aorta contractility were also assessed on isolated atria and aorta. Results showed that ENC reduced weight gain and serum lipids induced by HFD. In in vitro assays, HFD decreased the contraction force of left atrium, increased right atrium chronotropy, and decreased aorta K+ -induced contraction; ENC induced transient positive inotropic and negative chronotropic effects on isolated atria from RD and HFD rats and a spasmolytic effect on aorta. In ex vivo experiments, ENC reverted inotropic and chronotropic changes induced by HFD and enhanced Nifedipine effect more on aorta than on heart. In conclusion, ENC restores metabolic dysfunction and cardiac cholinergic muscarinic receptor function, and exerts spasmolytic effect on aorta in HFD rats, highlighting its potential as nutraceutical tool in obesity.
