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eCAM Advance Access published online on November 11, 2008
eCAM, doi:10.1093/ecam/nen070
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© 2008 The Author(s).
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/uk/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

N-Acetylcysteine an Allium plant compound improves high-sucrose diet-induced obesity and related effects

Gisele A. Souza1, Geovana X. Ebaid2, Fábio R. F. Seiva2, Katiucha H. R. Rocha1, Cristiano Machado Galhardi1, Fernanda Mani1 and Ethel L. B. Novelli1

1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Institute of Biosciences and 2Post Graduation Course, Department of Clinical and Cardiology, School of Medicine, São Paulo State University, UNESP, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil

This study was designed to determine whether N-acetylcysteine (NAC, C5H9–NO3S), a compound from Allium species may be used as a complementary therapeutic agent, to inhibit high-sucrose induced-obesity and its effects on glucose tolerance, in vivo low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-oxidation and serum oxidative stress in rats. Initially, 24 male Wistar rats were divided into two groups: controls receiving standard chow (C, n=6) and those receiving high-sucrose diet (HS, n = 18). After 22 days, (HS) group was divided into three groups (n = 6/group); (HS-HS) continued to eat high-sucrose diet and water; (HS-N) continued to eat high-sucrose diet and received 2 mg l–1-NAC in its drinking water; (HS-CN) changing high-sucrose to standard chow and receiving 2 mg l­1-NAC in its drinking water. After 22 days of the HS-group division (44 days of experimental period) body weight, body mass index and surface area were enhanced in HS-HS rats (P < 0.001). HS-HS rats had glucose intolerance, increased serum triacylglycerol (TG), very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), oxidized-LDL (ox-LDL) and lipid-hydroperoxide (LH) than the others (P < 0.01). NAC in HS-N and HS-CN rats reduced the obesity markers, feed efficiency, LH and ox-LDL, as well normalized glucose response, TG and VLDL (P < 0.01) in these groups compared with HS-HS. Total antioxidant substances, GSH/GSSG ratio and glutathione-reductase, were higher in HS-N than in HS-HS (P < 0.01). In conclusion, NAC improved high-sucrose diet-induced obesity and its effects on glucose tolerance, lipid profile, in vivo LDL-oxidation and serum oxidative stress, enhancing antioxidant defences. The application of this agent may be feasible and beneficial for high-sucrose diet-induced obesity, which certainly would bring new insights on obesity-related adverse effects control.

Keywords: antioxidant – oxidized low-density lipoprotein – oxidative stress

For reprints and all correspondence: Ethel L. B. Novelli, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University, UNESP, 18618-000, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil. Tel: +55-14-38116255; Fax: +55-14-38153744; E-mail: drno{at}uol.com.br

Received June 27, 2008; accepted October 9, 2008


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