O óleo de capivara livre e em nanoemulsão induz efeitos benéficos na morfofisiologia hepática em camundongos C57BL/6 obesos

Abstract

Obesity is a complex chronic disease characterized by excess body fat (adiposity) harmful to health; it has been characterized as a major global health problem. Can be associated with several diseases such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are lipid mediators that have anti-inflammatory characteristics and can be found in animals and vegetables, with capybara oil being a promising source. However, they are easily oxidized when in contact with oxygen, and the way to avoid this oxidation and, consequently, increase the bioavailability of PUFAs is pharmaceutical nanotechnology. Thus, the aim of the study is to evaluate the effects of two pharmaceutical presentations of capybara oil (free and in nanoemulsion) on the hepatic alterations established by obesity in C57Bl/6 mice. Sixty C57Bl/6 male mice at 3 months of age were used and received a control or high-fat diet for 18 weeks. From the 15th to the 18th week, the animals received treatment - via orogastric gavage - with placebo, or free capybara oil (5000 mg/kg/day) (OCL), or capybara oil nanoemulsion (100 mg/kg/day) (OCN), or lower concentration of free capybara oil (100 mg/kg/day) (OC100) or white nanoemulsion (NB). Parameters related to body mass, glucose tolerance, blood pressure, evaluation of the lipid profile and liver enzymes, percentage of hepatic steatosis, the process of cell death with the apoptotic pathway and ultrastructure of hepatocytes were analyzed. The high-fat diet generated biochemical damage in mice and changes in the structure and ultrastructure of the liver of these animals. The two pharmaceutical formulations of capybara oil were able to restore the changes caused by obesity. Thus, we conclude that both OCL and OCN have beneficial effects on serum biochemistry, histopathology of the liver of obese mice, improving hepatic steatosis and decreasing the activation of the apoptotic pathway, in addition to being able to restore the ultrastructure of hepatocytes. These findings are relevant for the development of new translational therapies in humans for the treatment of obesity and NAFLD