TITLE:
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Effects of Capybara Oil on Cardiac Remodeling of C57bl/6 Mice
AUTHORS:
Rafael M. Almeida, Wagner D. Giannetti, Guilherme R. Silveira, Carolina R. Castilho, Renata V. Lisboa, Bianca T. Ciambarella, Rodrigo N. Ferreira, Jorge José de Carvalho
KEYWORDS:
Capybara Oil, Cardiac Remodeling, Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biosciences and Medicines,
Vol.12 No.5,
May
24,
2024
ABSTRACT: Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of morbidity and mortality in the world, and obesity and the metabolic syndrome are risk factors for its development. One of the therapies to reduce cardiovascular risk is the use of polyunsaturated fatty acids. In Brazil, a source of such acid is the oil extracted from the fat of the capybara. The objective of this work is to study the effects of the capybara oil on lipid and glucose metabolism, as well as its effects on the adipose tissue and cardiac remodeling. We assessed the effects of capybara oil treatment on body mass, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, systolic blood pressure, adipose tissue and cardiac remodeling, and performed an ultrastructural evaluation of the myocardium in C57Bl/6 mice treated with high-fat diet. Treatment with capybara oil reduced total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, systolic blood pressure, visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue, and adipocyte diameter. In addition, cardiac remodeling was attenuated, preserving cardiomyocytes, increasing vascularization, reducing cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and the extracellular matrix, and preserving the morphological integrity of mitochondria. Capybara oil has several beneficial effects on the cardiovascular and metabolic system, and further studies are needed to better understand its role in the prevention or treatment of cardiovascular diseases.