title: Pharmacological evaluation of a β-hydroxyphosphonate analogue of l-carnitine in obese Zucker fa/fa rats.
abstract: In this study, we evaluated the effect of an analogue of l-carnitine on parameters involved with Metabolic Syndrome in obese Zucker rats. Twenty-four rats were treated for 5 weeks with l-carnitine (300 mg/kg) and its analogue at two concentrations (100 and 250 mg/kg) to assess their impact on glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol in liver and blood samples, as well as the amount of liver glycogen. Liver slices were also analysed. The analogue reduced the levels of glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol in liver and the level of triglycerides in serum. At 100 mg/kg, the analogue proved more effective than l-carnitine in improving the biochemical alterations present in liver. The amount of liver glycogen content was higher in obese animals treated with both l-carnitine and the analogue. No changes on insulin and leptin were observed in animals treated. l-carnitine and its analogue reduced the microvesicular fatty infiltration in liver. This study demonstrated that the analogue tested is more potent and efficient than l-carnitine and improves the pharmacological profile of l-carnitine.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reyes-Esparza
authors.forename: Brissa
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mendoza-Rivera
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De la Cruz-Cordero
authors.forename: Jorge L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Rosado
authors.forename: Miguel Á
authors.initials: MÁ
authors.lastname: Duarte-Vázquez
authors.forename: Mario G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Solis
authors.forename: Odón
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vite-Vallejo
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Fragoso
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002331:Carnitine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006003:Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D020738:Leptin / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051381:Rats; D011924:Rats, Zucker; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin; D014280:Triglycerides; D006003:Glycogen; D002784:Cholesterol; D005947:Glucose; D002331:Carnitine