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Several studies have shown that fruits and vegetables contribute to protect against degenerative pathologies such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer, mainly due to the presence of dietary fiber (DF) and polyphenols. Taioba ( Xanthosoma sagittifolium) is an edible aroid widely grown in many parts of Africa, America, and Asia. The tubers portions of taioba are widely consumed; however, the leafy portions are generally discarded, despite their high nutritive value. In this study, we have partly characterized the DF of lyophiized taioba leaf (LTL), and assessed the possible protective effects on biochemical parameters and on bile acid (BA) production in colon and cecum, when fed to healthy rats for 4 wk. Forty-five Wistar rats were assigned to either of 5 groups: group 1 received AIN 93G diet (CG: Control); group 2 received AIN 93G containing 2.5% of cellulose + 2.5% inulin (CEIN_5%); group 3 received AIN 93G containing 2.5% of cellulose + 2.5% taioba fiber (CETA_5%); group 4 received AIN 93G containing 5% cellulose + 2.5% taioba fiber (CETA_7.5%); group 5 received AIN 93G containing 5% cellulose + 2.5% of inulin (CEIN_7.5%). LTL showed high contents of total fiber, predominantly comprising insoluble DF with glucose as the major monomer. Rats receiving LTL had increased fecal mass and fat excretion, and improved BA profiles by diminishing the proportion of secondary acids, thus suggesting that consumption of taioba leaf may have the property of lowering the risk of colon cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The consumption of vegetables has been correlated with reduced risk of chronic non-communicable diseases due to the high fiber content and bioactive compounds found in vegetables. The arrowleaf elephant ear (Xanthosoma sagittifolium), which is known in Brazil as taioba, is a common plant in tropical America. Although its leafy portion possesses a high nutritional value, it is not widely consumed and has not been well studied. This study assessed the effect of lyophilised taioba leaf (LTL) as a hypolipidemic and prebiotic agent. Thirty-two Wistar rats were assigned to four groups: group 1 was fed a high-fat diet containing 3.67% (w/w) cellulose (low cellulose — LCEL); group 2 received a high-fat diet supplemented with 10% (w/w) cellulose (CEL); group 3 received a high-fat diet supplemented with 10% (w/w) inulin (INU); and group 4 was fed a high-fat diet supplemented with 28.4% LTL (TAI) to provide 10% (w/w) taioba fiber. The groups were fed their respective diets for 4weeks. The addition of LTL to the diet resulted in reduced weight gain, reduced liver fat, and increased fecal mass and lipid, in addition to higher fecal short chain fatty acid and bile salt concentrations, compared to the LCEL group. Additionally, only the TAI group exhibited a lower serum cholesterol concentration and a higher body ash content (p<0.05) than the LCEL group. Both the high bile salt binding capacity and high fermentability of LTL suggest that this plant may have a protective effect against cardiovascular diseases and bowel cancer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Mirabegron is a selective β₃‐adrenergic receptors agonist, which has been recently shown to improve metabolic health in rodents and humans. In this study, we investigated the effects of 2‐week mirabegron treatment on the metabolic parameters of mice with a diet‐induced obesity (DIO). C57BL/6JUnib mice were divided into control (CTR) and obese (OB) groups treated with vehicle, and an OB group treated with mirabegron (OB + MIRA). The obese groups were fed a high‐fat diet for 12 weeks. Mirabegron (10 mg/kg/day) was administrated orally by gavage from weeks 10–12. After 2 weeks of mirabegron treatment, the energy expenditure was assessed with indirect calorimetry. Blood glucose, insulin, glycerol, free fatty acids (FFA), thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBAR), and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α levels were also assessed, and the HOMA index was determined. Liver tissue, brown adipose tissue (BAT), and inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) samples were collected for histological examination. The protein expressions of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) and mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) were assessed using western blotting of the BAT and iWAT samples. In this study, mirabegron increased the energy expenditure and decreased adiposity in OB + MIRA. Increased UCP1 expression in BAT without changes in iWAT was also found. Mirabegron decreased circulating levels of FFA, glycerol, insulin, TNF‐α, TBARS and HOMA index. DIO significantly increased the lipid deposits in the liver and BAT, but mirabegron partially reversed this change. Our findings indicate that treatment with mirabegron decreased inflammation and improved metabolism in obese mice. This effect was associated with increased BAT‐mediated energy expenditure, but not iWAT beiging, which suggests that mirabegron might be useful for the treatment of obesity and diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have previously shown that the cafeteria diet increases body fat mass, plasma triacylglycerol (TAG) and insulin levels, glucose uptake by white and brown adipose tissues, as well as the sympathetic activity to both adipose tissues in Wistar rats. The metabolic pathways responsible for the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) were examined in cafeteria diet-fed rats. After 3 weeks offering cafeteria diet, we evaluated: (i) activity of the sympathetic nervous system by norepinephrine turnover rates; (ii) de novo fatty acid synthesis in vivo using 3 H 2 O; (iii) secretion of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL)-TAG secretion measuring serum TAG levels after administration of lipase lipoprotein inhibitor, (iv) liver cytosolic lipases activities and (v) liver mRNA expression of enzymes involved in lipids secretion and oxidation by RT-PCR. The cafeteria diet induced an increase in TAG (120%) and cholesterol (30%) liver contents. Cafeteria diet did not change the sympathetic nervous system activity to liver, but induced a marked increase in the lipogenesis (approximately four-fold) and significant increase in cytosolic lipases activities (46%) and VLDL-TAG secretion (22%) compared to control diet-fed rats. The cafeteria diet also increased the microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (30%) and carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (130%) mRNA expression but decreased the apolipoprotein B100 (26%) mRNA expression. Our findings demonstrate that the increase in the cytosolic lipases activities and VLDL-TAG secretion rates were not able to compensate for the increased lipogenesis rates induced by the cafeteria diet, resulting in NAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]