Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Martius) supplementation in the diet during gestation and lactation attenuates liver steatosis in dams and protects offspring

Amazonian Fruits for Treatment of Non-Communicable Diseases

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The Amazon region has a high biodiversity of flora, with an elevated variety of fruits, such as Camu-Camu (Myrciaria dúbia), Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.), Tucumã (Astrocaryum aculeatum and Astrocaryum vulgare), Fruta-do-conde (Annona squamosa L.), Cupuaçu (Theobroma grandiflorum), Graviola (Annona muricata L.), Guarana (Paullinia cupana Kunth var. sorbilis), and Pitanga (Eugenia uniflora), among many others, that are rich in phytochemicals, minerals and vitamins with prominent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential.

RECENT FINDINGS

Studies evaluating the chemical composition of these fruits have observed a high content of nutrients and bioactive compounds. Such components are associated with significant biological effects in treating various non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and related complications. Regular intake of these fruits from Amazonas emerges as a potential therapeutic approach to preventing and treating NCDs as a nutritional strategy to reduce the incidence or mitigate common complications in these patients, which are the leading global causes of death. As studies remain largely unexplored, this narrative review discusses the possible health-beneficial effects for patients with NCDs.

Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) in Health and Disease: A Critical Review

The açaí palm (Euterpe oleracea Mart.), a species belonging to the Arecaceae family, has been cultivated for thousands of years in tropical Central and South America as a multipurpose dietary plant. The recent introduction of açaí fruit and its nutritional and healing qualities to regions outside its origin has rapidly expanded global demand for açaí berry. The health-promoting and disease-preventing properties of this plant are attributed to numerous bioactive phenolic compounds present in the leaf, pulp, fruit, skin, and seeds. The purpose of this review is to present an up-to-date, comprehensive, and critical evaluation of the health benefits of açaí and its phytochemicals with a special focus on cellular and molecular mechanisms of action. In vitro and in vivo studies showed that açaí possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and exerts cardioprotective, gastroprotective, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, renoprotective, antilipidemic, antidiabetic, and antineoplastic activities. Moreover, clinical trials have suggested that açaí can protect against metabolic stress induced by oxidation, inflammation, vascular abnormalities, and physical exertion. Due to its medicinal properties and the absence of undesirable effects, açaí shows a promising future in health promotion and disease prevention, in addition to a vast economic potential in the food and cosmetic industries.

Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Martius) supplementation improves oxidative stress biomarkers in liver tissue of dams fed a high-fat diet and increases antioxidant enzymes' gene expression in offspring

Lipids excess from an uterine environment can increase free radicals production of and thus induce oxidative status imbalance, a key factor for progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in offspring. Food antioxidant components in maternal diet may play an important role in preventing offspring metabolic disorders. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of açaí pulp supplementation on maternal high-fat diet, by assessing activity and expression of antioxidant enzymes and biomarkers of oxidative stress in the liver. Female Fisher rats were divided into four groups and fed a control diet (C), a high-fat diet (HF), a control diet supplemented with açaí (CA) and a high-fat diet supplemented with açaí (HFA) before mating, during gestation and lactation. The effects of açaí supplementation on oxidative stress biomarkers and antioxidant enzymes expression were evaluated in dams and male offspring after weaning. HFA diet increased body weight in dams, however reduced absolute and relative liver weight. There was a reduction in liver biomarkers of oxidative stress, malondialdehyde and carbonyl protein, as well as in catalase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activity. In offspring, HFA diet reduced liver weight and increased Gpx1, Gpx4 and Sod1 mRNA expression. These results suggest that açaí is able to restore redox status, preventing oxidative damage in dams by a direct mechanism and to promote beneficial effects on expression of antioxidant defences related genes in offspring.

Dietary anthocyanin-rich extract of açai protects from diet-induced obesity, liver steatosis, and insulin resistance with modulation of gut microbiota in mice

OBJECTIVE

Açai is a rich source of anthocyanins and has been used as a dietary supplement and as an active pharmaceutical ingredient. Growing evidence indicates that host-microbial interactions played a vital role in the host metabolism. The aim of this study was to investigate the anthocyanin-rich extract of açai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) fruit (AEA) regarding its antiobesity activity and gut microbiota-modulating effect.

METHODS

Thirty-six male SPF C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into three groups and fed a low-fat diet, high-fat diet, or a high-fat diet supplemented with AEA for 14 wk. The antiobesity effect of AEA was evaluated, and the microbial changes were analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing. Spearman correlation analysis was used to determine the correlations between gut microbiota and obesity-related indicators.

RESULTS

The results showed that AEA treatment alleviated HFD-induced obesity, hepatic steatosis, and insulin resistance. Moreover, AEA supplement changed the structure of the gut microbiota, and significantly enriched Akkermansia muciniphila, which was negatively correlated with the physical biomarkers (e.g., serum glucose, insulin, and triacylglycerols) and the genes involved in lipid metabolism.

CONCLUSION

AEA alleviated high-fat diet-induced obesity, insulin resistance, and hepatic steatosis. The microbial changes may be one of the potential mechanisms for AEA in improving obesity and obesity-related disorders.