title: Protective effects of L-arabinose in high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet-induced metabolic syndrome in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  L-Arabinose is a non-caloric sugar, which could affect glucose and lipid metabolism and suppress obesity. However, few reports have described the effect of L-arabinose in metabolic syndrome, a combination of medical disorders that increase the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to explore the effects of L-arabinose in rats with metabolic syndrome induced by a high-carbohydrate, high-fat (HCHF) diet.
  
  
  METHODS
  After the rat model for metabolic syndrome was successfully established, L-arabinose was administrated by oral gavage for 6 weeks. The biochemical index and histological analysis were measured, and the expression levels of genes related to fatty acid metabolism were analyzed using real-time PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Following treatment with L-arabinose, metabolic syndrome rats had an obvious reduction in body weight, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, serum insulin, TNF-α, and leptin. Further study showed that treatment with L-arabinose significantly increased the expression of mRNA for hepatic CPT-1α and PDK4, but the expression of mRNA for hepatic ACCα was reduced.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This work suggests that L-arabinose could lower body weight, Lee's index, and visceral index and improve dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, inflammation, and viscera function, which indicate that it might be a promising candidate for therapies combating metabolic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education, College of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education, College of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, China; lu_xiaoling@sina.com.
authors.forename: Xiaoling
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education, College of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education, College of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education, College of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Lingmin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education, College of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wu
keywords: L-Arabinose; adipocytokines; hypertension; insulin resistance; metabolic syndrome