Dietary supplementation with sunflower seeds and vitamin E for fattening lambs improves the fatty acid profile and oxidative stability of the Longissimus lumborum

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Fatty acid profile, carcass and quality traits of meat from Nellore young bulls on pasture supplemented with crude glycerin

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Glycerol combined with oils did not limit biohydrogenation of unsaturated fatty acid but reduced methane production in vitro

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Lipid sources with different fatty acid profile alters the fatty acid profile and quality of beef from confined nellore steers

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Olive oils from Campos de Hellin (Spain) exhibit significant varietal differences in fatty acid composition, sterol fraction, and oxidative stability

The Spanish region of Campos de Hellin (Albacete) is characterized by a wide range of olive varieties (Arbequina, Benizal, Cornicabra, Cuquillo, Injerta, Manzanilla Local, Manzanilla de Sevilla, Negrilla, Picual), which provides different physicochemical and sensory characteristics to the oils. Thus, the knowledge of these characteristics may help develop more balanced oils. Monovarietal virgin olive oils from the different varieties grown in this area were characterized from the physicochemical and sensory points of view during four consecutive years. Clear differences among the varieties were found when principal component analysis was applied to the data from the studied parameters. The varieties were grouped according to their oleic and linoleic acid content, oxidative stability, and campesterol and total sterols content. The differences were significant with a 95% confidence level. The variety effect on the oil characteristics was stronger than the effect of the crop year. Practical applications: Chemical and sensory characteristics of monovarietal virgin olive oils play an important role in the elaboration of blends. In olive-growing regions where there is more than one variety cultivated, the characterization of monovarietal oils could increase the value of the olive oil produced due to the development of more balanced oils tailored to the preferences of consumers. This work shows that the chemical and sensory differences between varieties make possible the elaboration of a new range of virgin olive oils. This could encourage the development and marketing of quality oils, and thus increase the competitiveness of the mills in the oil market.

Chlorophyll fluorescence as a marker for herbicide mechanisms of action

Photosynthesis is the single most important source of 02 and organic chemical energy necessary to support all non-autotrophic life forms. Plants compartmentalize this elaborate biochemical process within chloroplasts in order to safely harness the power of solar energy and convert it into usable chemical units. Stresses (biotic or abiotic) that challenge the integrity of the plant cell are likely to affect photosynthesis and alter chlorophyll fluorescence. A simple three-step assay was developed to test selected herbicides representative of the known herbicide mechanisms of action and a number of natural phytotoxins to determine their effect on photosynthesis as measured by chlorophyll fluorescence. The most active compounds were those interacting directly with photosynthesis (inhibitors of photosystem I and II), those inhibiting carotenoid synthesis, and those with mechanisms of action generating reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation (uncouplers and inhibitors of protoporphyrinogen oxidase). Other active compounds targeted lipids (very-long-chain fatty acid synthase and removal of cuticular waxes). Therefore, induced chlorophyll fluorescence is a good biomarker to help identify certain herbicide modes of action and their dependence on light for bioactivity. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Vicilinas de leguminosas e seus efeitos no metabolismo lipídico de ratos dislipidêmicos

Pós-graduação em Alimentos e Nutrição - FCFAR

Diets rich in saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids: Metabolic shifting and cardiac health

OBJECTIVE: the aim of this study was to determine the effects of diets rich in saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids on metabolic pathways and the relation of metabolic shifting to oxidative stress in cardiac tissue.METHODS: Male Wistar rats (age, 60 d; n = 10) were fed with a control low-fat diet, a diet rich in saturated fatty acids (SFAs), or a diet rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). After 5 wk of treatment, sera were used for protein and lipid determinations. Protein, glycogen, triacylglycerol, lactate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase, beta-hydroxyacyl coenzyme-A dehydrogenase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, lipoperoxide, and lipid hydroperoxide were measured in cardiac tissue.RESULTS: the SFA group had higher triacylglycerol, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and atherogenic index (ratio of cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein) than did the PUFA and control groups. The PUFA group had low serum cholesterol, triacylglycerol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol as compared with the SFA group. SFA increased myocardial lipid hydroperoxide and diminished glutathione peroxidase. Despite the beneficial effects on serum lipids, the PUFA diet led to the highest levels of myocardial lipoperoxide and lipid hydroperoxide and diminished superoxide dismutase and catalase activities. The PUFA effects were related to increased feed efficiency, increased susceptibility to lipoperoxidation, and metabolic shifting in cardiac tissue. PUFA elevated triacylglycerol levels and decreased myocardial glycogen concentrations. The ratios of lactate dehydrogenase to citrate synthase and beta-hydroxyacyl coenzyme-A dehydrogenase to citrate synthase were increased, indicating myocardial reduction of tricarboxylic acid cycle.CONCLUSIONS: PUFAs have been recommended as a therapeutic measure in preventive medicine to lower serum cholesterol, but PUFAs increased oxidative stress in the heart by providing cardiac susceptibility to lipoperoxidation and shifting the metabolic pathway for energy production. The control diet, which was much lower in calories and fat, produced better overall clinical outcomes, better fat profiles, and less oxidative stress than did the diets rich in fatty acids.

Quality of polyunsaturated fatty acids in Nile tilapias (Oreochromis niloticus) fed with vitamin E supplementation

Freshwater fish are an important source of protein, but they also contain other highly nutritive components such as fats. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are essential for normal growth, development and reproduction of vertebrates. The antioxidant role of vitamin E in cell membranes prevents fatty acid and cholesterol oxidation, thereby promoting PUFA and subcellular particle stabilization. The effects of vitamin E supplementation on the quality of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) carcass were investigated. The experiments were carried out in an experimental laboratory over 106 d. After sex reversal, 400 early juvenile O. niloticus were tested in a completely randomized experiment with 5 treatments (4 repetitions each), consisting of vitamin E monophosphate supplementation at 0, 50, 100, 150 or 200 mg/kg of a base diet. Treatment diets contained equal amounts of protein and energy. Tilapias supplemented with vitamin E contained arachidonic acid (20:4 omega-6; AA) which participates in inflammatory response. Nile tilapia carcasses that received vitamin E at 100 and 150 mg/kg diet had improved carcass quality by increasing the PUFA:SFA ratio and had the highest levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids from the omega-3 (linolenic acid; 18:3 omega-3) and omega-6 (linoleic acid; 18:2 omega-6) series. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Toxicity of dietary restriction of fat enriched diets on cardiac tissue

The present study examines the effects of caloric restriction in cardiac tissue evaluation markers of oxidative stress. High-fat dietary restrictions can have a long-term impact on cardiac health. Dietary restriction of control diet increased myocardial superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities. Dietary restriction of fatty acid-enriched diets increased myocardial lipoperoxide concentrations, while SOD activity was decreased in cardiac tissue of rats with dietary restriction of fatty acid-enriched diets. Dietary restriction of unsaturated fatty acid-enriched diet induced the highest lipoperoxide concentration and the lowest myocardial SOD activity. Dietary restriction of unsaturated fatty acid decreased myocardial glycogen, and increased the lactate dehydrogenase/citrate synthase ratio. Dietary restriction of fatty acid-enriched diets were more deleterious to cardiac tissue than normal ad lib.-fed diet. In conclusion, the effects of caloric restriction on myocardial oxidative stress is dependent on which nutrient is restricted. Dietary restriction of fatty acid-enriched diets is deleterious relative to ad lib.-fed chow diet. (C) 2002 Elsevier, Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Could a high-fat diet rich in unsaturated fatty acids impair the cardiovascular system?

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Strategic supplementation of calcium salts of polyunsaturated fatty acids to enhance reproductive performance of Bos indicus beef cows

Five experiments evaluated the effects of supplemental Ca salts of PUFA on reproductive function of Bos indicus beef cows. In Exp. 1, nonlactating and multiparous grazing cows (n = 51) were assigned to receive (as-fed basis) 0.1 kg of a protein-mineral mix + 0.1 kg of ground corn per cow/d, in addition to 0.1 kg per cow/d of 1) Ca salts of PUFA (PF), 2) Ca salts of SFA (SF), or 3) kaolin (control). Treatments were offered from d 0 to 20 of the estrous cycle. No treatment effects were detected on serum progesterone concentrations (P = 0.83), day of luteolysis (P = 0.86), or incidence of short cycles (P = 0.84). In Exp. 2, nonlactating and multiparous grazing cows (n = 43) were assigned to receive PF, SF, or control from d 0 to 8 of the estrous cycle. on d 6, all cows received (intramuscularly) 25 mg of PGF(2 alpha). No treatment effects were detected on serum progesterone concentrations on d 6 (P = 0.37), and incidence (P = 0.67) or estimated time of luteolysis (P = 0.44). In Exp. 3, twenty-seven lactating and multiparous grazing cows, approximately 30 to 40 d postpartum, were assigned to receive PF or control for 10 d beginning at the first postpartum ovulation. No treatment effects were detected (P = 0.85) on incidence of short cycles. In Exp. 4, lactating and multiparous grazing cows (n = 1,454), approximately 40 to 60 d postpartum, were assigned to receive 1 of the 7 treatments for 28 d after timed AI (TAI; d 0): 1) control from d 0 to 28, 2) SF from d 0 to 14 and then control, 3) PF from d 0 to 14 and then control, 4) SF from d 0 to 21 and then control, 5) PF from d 0 to 21 and then control, 6) SF from d 0 to 28, and 7) PF from d 0 to 28. Cows receiving PF for more than 21 d after TAI had greater (P < 0.01) pregnancy to TAI compared with all other treatments combined (50.4 vs. 42.4%, respectively). In Exp. 5, lactating and multiparous grazing cows (n = 501), approximately 40 to 60 d postpartum, were assigned to receive 1 of the 4 treatments for 21 d after TAI (d 0): 1) PF from d 0 to 14 and then control, 2) control from d 0 to 6 and then PF, 3) control from d 0 to 13 and then PF, and 4) PF from d 0 to 21. Cows receiving PF after d 14 of the experiment had greater (P = 0.02) pregnancy to TAI compared with cows not receiving PF during the same period (46.8 vs. 33.1%, respectively). In summary, supplemental Ca salts of PUFA during the expected time of luteolysis increased pregnancy to TAI in beef cows.

Effects of calcium salts of polyunsaturated fatty acids on productive and reproductive parameters of lactating Holstein cows

Two experiments evaluated milk production, serum progesterone and insulin, and reproductive performance of lactating Holstein cows receiving or not receiving Ca salts of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), or receiving Ca salts of PUFA at different daily frequencies. In experiment 1, 1,125 cows randomly distributed in 10 freestall barns were enrolled. Barns were assigned randomly to receive a high-concentrate diet containing (PI?) or not containing (control, CON) 1.1% (dry matter basis) Ca salts of PUPA. Diets were offered 6 times daily, whereas the Ca salts of PUFA were included in the PF treatment in the first feeding of the day. In experiment 2, 1,572 cows were randomly distributed in 10 freestall barns, which were assigned randomly to receive a diet similar to PF, but with Ca salts of PUFA included only in the first feeding of the day (PF1X), or equally distributed across all 6 feedings (PF6X). During both experiments, cows were artificially inseminated 12 h after the onset of estrus. Once per month, cows that did not conceive to artificial insemination were assigned to a fixed-time embryo transfer protocol. Pregnancy was determined via transrectal ultrasonography 28 and 60 d after expected ovulation. Pregnancy loss was considered in cows that were pregnant on d 28 but nonpregnant on d 60. During both experiments, feed intake, milk yield, and milk protein and fat content were recorded weekly. Blood samples were collected concurrently with embryo transfer. During experiment 1, feed intake was similar between treatments. Compared with CON, PF cows had greater milk yield (37.8 vs. 35.3 kg/d), and reduced milk fat content (3.41 vs. 3.55%). However, PF cows had reduced pregnancy losses per service compared with CON (12.6 vs. 18.3%). Serum progesterone was greater and serum insulin tended to be greater in primiparous cows receiving PF compared with CON cohorts (4.50 vs. 3.67 ng of progesterone/mL, and 10.4 vs. 7.5 mu UI of insulin/mL). During experiment 2, no treatment effects were detected for feed intake, milk yield, or milk fat, whereas PF1X cows tended to have reduced pregnancy losses per service compared with PF6X (14.4 vs. 18.4%). In summary, feeding Ca salts of PUFA to dairy cows increased milk production, did not alter feed intake, and reduced pregnancy losses per service. Further, the total daily amount of Ca salts of RITA should be fed during the first feeding of the day to optimize its benefits on pregnancy maintenance of dairy cows.

Diet compounds, glycemic index and obesity-related cardiac effects

Background: Diet compounds may influence obesity-related cardiac oxidative stress and metabolic sifting. Carbohydrate-rich diet may be disadvantageous from fat-rich diet to cardiac tissue and glycemic index rather than lipid profile may predict the obesity-related cardiac effects.Materials and methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into three groups (n=8/group): (C) receiving standard chow (3.0 kcal/g); (CRD) receiving carbohydrate-rich diet (4.0 kcal/g), and (FRD) receiving fat-rich diet (4.0 kcal/g). Rats were sacrificed after the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at 60 days of dietary treatments. Lipid profile and oxidative stress parameters were determined in serum. Myocardial samples were used to determine oxidative stress, metabolic enzymes, glycogen and triacylglycerol.Results: FRD rats showed higher final body weight and body mass index than CRD and C. Serum cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein were higher in FRD than in CRD, while triacylglycerol and oxidized low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were higher in CRD than in FRD. CRD rats had the highest myocardial lipid hydroperoxide and diminished superoxide dismutase and catalase activities. Myocardial glycogen was lower and triacylglycerol was higher in CRD than in C and FRD rats. Although FRD rats had depressed myocardial-reducing power, no significant changes were observed in myocardial energy metabolism. Myocardial beta-hydroxyacyl coenzyme-A dehydrogenase and citrate synthase, as well as the enhanced lactate debydrogenase/citrate synthase ratio indicated that fatty acid degradation was decreased in CRD rats. Glycemic index was positively correlated with obesity-related cardiac effects.Conclusions: Isoenergetic carbohydrate-rich and fat-rich diets induced different degree of obesity and differently affected lipid profile. Carbohydrate-rich diet was deleterious relative to fat-rich diet in the heart enhancing lipoperoxidation and shifting the metabolic pathway for energy production. Glycemic index rather than dyslipidemic profile may predict the obesity effects on cardiac tissue. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Alcoholism and alcohol abstinence: N-acetylcysteine to improve energy expenditure, myocardial oxidative stress, and energy metabolism in alcoholic heart disease

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)