EFFECTS OF TART CHERRIES SUPPLEMENTATION ON BRAIN OF RATS WITH DIET-INDUCED OBESITY

Aims: This study evaluates the potential effects of tart cherries (Prunus cerasus L.) on the brain rats with Diet-Induced Obesity (DIO). These rats were studied for 17 weeks of hypercaloric diet with the supplementation of tart cherries seeds powder (DS) and seeds powder plus tart cherries juice (DES). DIO rats were compared to the control rats with standard diet (CHOW). Methods: Food consumption, body and fat mass weight, fasting glycemia, insulin levels, cholesterol, and triglycerides were measured in order to determine the systemic effects of diet and tart cherries supplementation. Immunochemical, immunohistochemical and qRT-PCR techniques were used to determine neuronal and glial alterations. Results: No differences in body weight was found in treated rats compared to control group. DS and DES groups reveal a decrease of blood pressure and glycemia. Furthermore, the serum levels of thiobarbituric reactive substances decreased without changes of the antioxidant properties. A decrease of glial-fibrillary acid protein in the hippocampus and in frontal cortex of treated rats and, at the same time, a microglial activation decreasing were found. Moreover, there is an increase of neurofilament in treated rats compared to DIO. Nevertheless, tart cherries is not able to modify the modulation of synaptophysin and ions channels expression in DIO rats. Conclusion: These findings indicate that tart cherries supplementation, although did not reduce the body weight, prevent the development of related risk factors. Further studies are needed to better clarify the benefits of tart cherry supplementation on the brain, and the possible use in obesity-induced cerebrovascular disease.