title: Astaxanthin ameliorates features of metabolic syndrome in SHR/NDmcr-cp.
abstract: Glucose and lipid metabolic parameters play crucial roles in metabolic syndrome and its major feature of insulin resistance. This study was designed to investigate whether dietary astaxanthin oil (ASX-O) has potential effects on metabolic syndrome features in an SHR/NDmcr-cp (cp/cp) rat model. Oral administration of ASX (50 mg/kg/day) for 22 weeks induced a significant reduction in arterial blood pressure in SHRcp. It also significantly reduced the fasting blood glucose level, homeostasis index of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and improved insulin sensitivity. The results also showed an improved adiponectin level, a significant increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, a significant decrease in plasma levels of triglycerides, and non-esterified fatty acids. Additionally, ASX showed significant effects on the white adipose tissue by decreasing the size of the fat cells. These results suggest that ASX ameliorates insulin resistance by mechanisms involving the increase of glucose uptake, and by modulating the level of circulating lipid metabolites and adiponectin.
authors.affiliation: International Research Center for Traditional Medicine, Toyama, Toyama Prefecture 939-8224, Japan. ghazihussein@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Ghazi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hussein
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Hirozo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.forename: Kinzo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Ushio
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Sankawa
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Watanabe
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D048429:Cell Size / Q000187:drug effects; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D024341:Xanthophylls / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D024341:Xanthophylls; C005948:astaxanthine