title: Effect of chronic consumption of blackberry extract on high-fat induced obesity in rats and its correlation with metabolic and brain outcomes.
abstract: Flavonoids have been presented as potential protectors against metabolic and cognitive dysfunction. However, mechanisms underlying these 'claims' have not been sufficiently explored. To analyse the effect of long-term supplementation with blackberry extract (BE) in the context of a high-fat or a standard diet, Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups (n = 6) fed with a standard or a high-fat diet, with or without BE supplementation at 25 mg per kg body weight per day. A high-fat diet significantly impaired glucose tolerance and increased body weight, caloric ingestion, very-low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides and cholesterol. Furthermore, it was observed that a high-fat diet increased dopamine content in the prefrontal cortex and decreased brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels both in the prefrontal cortex and in plasma. BE supplementation only affected some of these aspects. BE slightly improved glucose metabolism and significantly decreased levels of lactate, independent of diet. BE decreased levels of BDNF and also interacted with the dopaminergic system, increasing dopamine turnover in the striatum, and reverting dopamine content induced by a high-fat diet in the prefrontal cortex. This study shows that, despite some particular benefits of anthocyanin supplementation, some long-term effects may not be desirable and further studies are needed to optimize ingestion conditions.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal. ccalhau@med.up.pt.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meireles
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina (CBQF), Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Luís M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Alcalá
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal. ccalhau@med.up.pt.
authors.forename: Cláudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal. ccalhau@med.up.pt.
authors.forename: Sónia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Norberto
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal. ccalhau@med.up.pt.
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.affiliation: REQUIMTE, Laboratório Associado de Química Verde, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-009 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Iva
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.affiliation: REQUIMTE, Laboratório Associado de Química Verde, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-009 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Nuno
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mateus
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina (CBQF), Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal. ccalhau@med.up.pt and REQUIMTE, Laboratório Associado de Química Verde, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-009 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Faria
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal. ccalhau@med.up.pt and Centro de Investigação em Tecnologias e Sistemas de Informação em Saúde (CINTESIS), Universidade do Porto, Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Conceição
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Calhau
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000872:Anthocyanins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000032:analysis; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D015243:Cholesterol, VLDL / Q000097:blood; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000378:metabolism; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004298:Dopamine / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D002149:Energy Intake; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008660:Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects*; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D065856:Rubus / Q000737:chemistry*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D000872:Anthocyanins; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D015243:Cholesterol, VLDL; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol; D004298:Dopamine