Anti-obesity effect of cocoa proteins (Theobroma cacao L.) variety “Criollo” and the expression of genes related to the dysfunction of white adipose tissue in high-fat diet-induced obese rats

Effects of Foods of Mesoamerican Origin in Adipose Tissue and Liver-Related Metabolism

Adipose tissue and liver metabolism play a key role in maintaining body homeostasis; therefore, their impairment conduces a pathological state. Nowadays, occidental lifestyle is a common etiological issue among a variety of chronic diseases, while diet is a unique strategy to prevent obesity and liver metabolism impairment and is a powerful player in the treatment of metabolic-related diseases. Mesoamerican foods are rich in bioactive molecules that enhance and improve adipose tissue and liver performance and represent a prophylactic and therapeutic alternative for disorders related to the loss of homeostasis in the metabolism of these two important tissues.

Combination of Aerobic Training and Cocoa Flavanols as Effective Therapies to Reduce Metabolic and Inflammatory Disruptions in Insulin-Resistant Rats: The Exercise, Cocoa, and Diabetes Study

We aimed to investigate the combined effects of aerobic exercise (EXE) and cocoa flavanol (COCOA) supplementation on performance, metabolic parameters, and inflammatory and lipid profiles in obese insulin-resistant rats. Therefore, 32 male Wistar rats (230-250 g) were fed a high-fat diet and a fructose-rich beverage for 30 days to induce insulin resistance. Next, the rats were randomized into four groups, orally administered placebo solution or COCOA supplementation (45 mg·kg-1), and either remained sedentary or were subjected to EXE on a treadmill at 60% peak velocity for 30 min, for 8 weeks. Blood samples and peripheral tissues were collected and processed to analyze metabolic and inflammatory parameters, lipid profiles, and morphological parameters. Supplementation with COCOA and EXE improved physical performance and attenuated body mass gain, adipose index, and adipocyte area. When analyzed as individual interventions, supplementation with COCOA and EXE improved glucose intolerance and the lipid profile reduced the concentrations of leptin, glucose, and insulin, and reduced homeostasis assessment index (all effects were p < .001 for both interventions), while ameliorated some inflammatory mediators in examined tissues. In skeletal muscles, both COCOA supplementation and EXE increased the expression of glucose transporter (p < .001 and p < .001), and combined intervention showed additive effects (p < .001 vs. COCOA alone or EXE alone). Thus, combining COCOA with EXE represents an effective nonpharmacological strategy to treat insulin resistance; it could prevent Type 2 diabetes mellitus by improving physical performance, glucose metabolism, neuroendocrine control, and lipid and inflammatory mediators in the liver, pancreas, adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle in obese male insulin-resistant rats.

A Comprehensive Review on Anti-obesity Potential of Medicinal Plants and their Bioactive Compounds

Background:

Obesity is a complex health and global epidemic issue. It is an increasing global health challenge covering significant social and economic costs. Abnormal accumulation of fat in the body may increase the health risks including diabetes, hypertension, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, cardiovascular diseases, stroke and cancer. Synthetic drugs available on the market reported to have several side effects. Therefore, the management of obesity got to involve the traditional use of medicinal plants which helps to search the new therapeutic targets and supports the research and development of anti-obesity drugs.

Objective:

This review aim to update the data and provide a comprehensive report of currently available knowledge of medicinal plants and phyto-chemical constituents reported for their anti-obesity activity.

Methodology:

An electronic search of the periodical databases like Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Scielo, Niscair, ScienceDirect, Springerlink, Wiley, SciFinder and Google Scholar with information reported the period 1991-2019, was used to retrieve published data.

Results:

A comprehensive report of the present review manuscript is an attempt to list the medicinal plants with anti-obesity activity. The review focused on plant extracts, isolated chemical compounds with their mechanism of action and their preclinical experimental model, clinical studies for further scientific research.

Conclusion:

This review is the compilation of the medicinal plants and their constituents reported for the managements of obesity. The data will fascinate the researcher to initiate further research that may lead to the drug for the management of obesity and their associated secondary complications. Several herbal plants and their respective lead constituents were also screened by preclinical In-vitro and In-vivo, clinical trials and are effective in the treatment of obesity. Therefore, there is a need to develop and screen large number of plant extracts and this approach can surely be a driving force for the discovery of anti-obesity drugs from medicinal plants.

Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) Seed-Derived Peptides Reduce Blood Pressure by Interacting with the Catalytic Site of the Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme

This study aimed at determining the effect of cocoa proteins (CP) on the blood pressure, using in silico, in vitro and in vivo approaches. The in silico assay showed 26 Criollo cocoa peptides with alignment in the Blast^® analysis. Peptide sequences ranged from 6 to 16 amino acids, with molecular weight ranging from 560.31 to 1548.76 Da. The peptide sequences LSPGGAAV, TSVSGAGGPGAGR, and TLGNPAAAGPF showed the highest theoretical affinity with −8.6, −5.0, and −10.2 kcal/mol, for the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), renin, and angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT₁-R), respectively. The Criollo CP hydrolysates (CPH) presented in vitro ACE inhibitory activity with an IC₅₀ value of 0.49 mg/mL. Furthermore, the orogastric administration of 150 mg CP/kg/day in rats fed a high-fat (HF) diet (HF + CP group) showed a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure (SBP) by 5% (p < 0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) by 7% (p < 0.001) compared with the HF group. The human equivalent dose (HED) of CP for an adult (60 kg) is 1.45 g per day. These results suggest that the consumption of CP could reduce blood pressure by blocking ACE, and could be used as an ingredient in the elaboration of antihypertensive functional foods.

Benefits of Polyphenols and Methylxanthines from Cocoa Beans on Dietary Metabolic Disorders

Theobroma cacao L. is an ancestral cultivated plant which has been consumed by various populations throughout history. Cocoa beans are the basic material occurring in the most consumed product in the world, namely chocolate. Their composition includes polyphenols, methylxanthines, lipids and other compounds that may vary qualitatively and quantitatively according to criteria such as variety or culture area. Polyphenols and methylxanthines are known as being responsible for many health benefits, particularly by preventing cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Recent studies emphasized their positive role in dietary metabolic disorders, such as diabetes and weight gain. After a brief presentation of cocoa bean, this review provides an overview of recent research activities highlighting promising strategies which modulated and prevented gastro-intestinal metabolism dysfunctions.

Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) Seed Proteins' Anti-Obesity Potential through Lipase Inhibition Using In Silico, In Vitro and In Vivo Models

The aim of this study was to determine the pancreatic lipase (PL) inhibitory effect of cocoa protein (CP) hydrolysates (CPH) using in silico and in vitro approaches, and an in vivo high-fat diet (HF) obese rat model. The results showed better theoretical affinity on PL for cocoa peptides EEQR, GGER, QTGVQ, and VSTDVNIE released from vicilin and albumins (-6.5, -6.3, -6.2, and -6.1 kcal/mol, respectively). Absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADMET) prediction showed the human intestinal absorption (HIA) capacity of orlistat and eight cocoa peptides, demonstrating that they presented a low probability of toxicity with values lower than 0.6, while the orlistat has a high probability of hepatotoxicity with a mean value of 0.9. CPH (degree of hydrolysis of 55%) inhibited PL with an IC50 (concentration needed to inhibit 50% of enzyme activity) value of 1.38 mg/mL. The intragastric administration of 150 mg CP/kg/day to rats increased total lipids and triglycerides excretion in feces, ranging from 11% to 15% compared to the HF-diet. The HF + CP-diet also significantly decreased (p < 0.05) the apparent rate of fat absorption compared with the HF group. These results suggest that CP has anti-obesity potential by inhibiting PL, thus helping to prevent the development of non-communicable diseases.

Pleiotropic Biological Effects of Dietary Phenolic Compounds and their Metabolites on Energy Metabolism, Inflammation and Aging

Dietary phenolic compounds are considered as bioactive compounds that have effects in different chronic disorders related to oxidative stress, inflammation process, or aging. These compounds, coming from a wide range of natural sources, have shown a pleiotropic behavior on key proteins that act as regulators. In this sense, this review aims to compile information on the effect exerted by the phenolic compounds and their metabolites on the main metabolic pathways involved in energy metabolism, inflammatory response, aging and their relationship with the biological properties reported in high prevalence chronic diseases. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated their pleiotropic molecular mechanisms of action and these findings raise the possibility that phenolic compounds have a wide variety of roles in different targets.