Aline D’Avila Pereira

Assessments of body composition and bone parameters of lactating rats treated with diet containing flaxseed meal (Linum usitatissinum) during post-weaning period

INTRODUCTION There are few studies on body composition and the effects of diet on weight postpartum women. The aim was to evaluate the body composition and bone parameters in lactating rats treated with diet containing flaxseed flour during postweaning period. METHODS After weaning, the lactating rat were divided in control (n = 6) and experimental (F, n = 6) group, treated with 25% flaxseed flour diet. After 30 days, body composition by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, serum analysis, organs and intra-abdominal fat mass, femur and lumbar vertebra parameters were determined. RESULTS The groups showed similar food intake, body mass and bone parameters. While F group showed the following: lower body (-5%), gonadal (-17%), mesenteric (-23%) and intra-abdominal (-6%) fat mass. Increase of HDL-cholesterol (+10%) and lower glucose (-15%), triglycerides (P < 0.05, -37%) and cholesterol (P < 0.05, -21%). CONCLUSIONS The findings highlight the effects of flaxseed for control of adiposity and to maintain a healthy biochemical profile during the postnatal period.

Efeito da semente de linhaça no crematócrito do leite de ratas e sua contribuição no crescimento corporal dos filhotes

OBJECTIVES To assess the effect of flaxseed on rat milk creamatocrit and its contribution to offspring weight gain during lactation. METHODS The study was conducted with 22 Lister Hooded rats divided into two groups: Control Group (CG, n = 11), which received a casein-based diet with 17% protein, and Flaxseed Group (FG, n = 11), which received a 25% flaxseed diet supplemented with 14% casein, totaling 17% protein. Food consumption was controlled per individual cage and litter size. Maternal milk creamatocrit and offspring weight variation until weaning age were also evaluated. RESULTS FG was similar to CG concerning food intake (FG = 76.46±31.87 g; CG = 76.7±33.36 g; p = 0.9613) and equivalent to CG concerning litter size (FG = 4.94±2.34; CG = 5.5±3.19; p = 0.435). The same was found for milk fat content (FG = 18.4±4.76; CG = 15.3±6.03; p = 0.204) and total energy value (FG = 212.92±46.4; CG = 181.1±60; p = 0.1964). FG was similar to CG both in offspring body weight at weaning (FG = 37±6.96 g; CG = 32.6±7.5 g; p = 0.1817) and in weight gain (FG = 31.8±7.0 g; CG = 27.7±7.5 g; p = 0.2104). CONCLUSION A total of 25% flaxseed promoted an adequate offspring growth.

Flaxseed flour (Linum usitatissinum) consumption improves bone quality and decreases the adipocyte area of lactating rats in the post-weaning period

Abstract The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of flaxseed flour in the intake on adiposity and femur structure of the lactating rats during the post-weaning period. After weaning, the lactating rats were divided into control (C, n = 6) and experimental (F, n = 6) groups treated with a diet containing flaxseed flour. Serum hormone and fatty acids composition, morphology of intra-abdominal adipocytes, computed tomography and biomechanical analyses of femur were determined. Food intake, body mass and hormone analysis have shown similar results. The F group showed the following (p < 0.05): lower arachidonic acid (–60%), total polyunsaturated fatty acids (–30%) and retroperitoneal adipocytes (–36%) area. Higher radiodensity of femoral head region (+29%) and higher maximum force (+18%), breaking strength (+18%) and rigidity (+31%). Fatty acid composition of flaxseed flour decreased the area of adipocytes and improved the bone quality, which may be associated with lower serum levels of arachidonic acid levels, during the post-weaning period.

Maternal use of flaxseed oil during pregnancy and lactation prevents morphological alterations in pancreas of female offspring from rat dams with experimental diabetes

Nutritional recommendations have promoted the increased need to consume n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Flaxseed is the richest dietary source of n‐3 fatty acids among plant sources and is widely used for its edible oil. This study aimed to investigate whether maternal use of flaxseed oil has effects on pancreas morphology in the female offspring of diabetic mothers. Female Wistar rats (n = 12) were induced into diabetes by a high‐fat diet and low dose of streptozotocin. After confirmation of the diabetes, rats were mated, and once pregnancy was confirmed, they were allocated into three groups (n = 6): high‐fat group (HG); flaxseed oil group (FOG); and control group (CG) (non‐diabetic rats). At weaning, female offspring (n = 6/group) received standard chow diet. The animals were euthanized at 180 days. Pancreas was collected for histomorphometric and immunohistochemistry analysis. HG showed hypertrophy of pancreatic islets (P < 0.0001), whereas FOG offspring had islets with smaller diameters compared to HG (P < 0.0001). HG offspring showed higher percentage of larger (P = 0.0061) and lower percentage of smaller islets (P = 0.0036). HG showed lower islet insulin immunodensity at 180 days (P < 0.0001), whereas FOG was similar to CG (P < 0.0001). Flaxseed oil reduced the damage caused by maternal hyperglycaemia, promoting normal pancreas histomorphometry and β‐cell mass in female offspring.

Effect of maternal use of flaxseed oil during pregnancy and lactation on glucose metabolism and pancreas histomorphometry of male offspring from diabetic rats

AIM Investigate if the maternal use of flaxseed oil prevents pancreatic alterations in the offspring of diabetic mothers. METHODS Diabetes was induced in female wistar rats (n=12) by a high-fat diet and low-dose of streptozotocin. After the confirmation of the diabetes (glucose >300 mg/dL), rats were mated and once pregnancy was confirmed, they were allocated into three groups (n=6): high-fat group (HFG); flaxseed oil group (FOG); and control group (CG) (nondiabetic rats). At weaning, male offspring (n=12/group) received a standard chow diet. The animals were euthanized in two phases: at 100 and at 180 days, (n=6/group). The pancreas was collected for histomorphometric and immunohistochemistry analysis. RESULTS HFG showed hypertrophy of pancreatic islets at 100 and at 180 days (p<0.0001), while the FOG offspring had islets with smaller diameters compared to HFG at both phases of sacrifice (p<0.0001). HFG had a lower percentage of small islets when compared to CG and FOG, which had a higher percentage when compared to HFG (p=0.0053) at 100 days. At 180 days HFG showed higher percentage of larger islets (p=0.00137) and lower percentage of smaller islets (p=0.00112), when compared to FOG. HFG showed lower islet insulin immunodensity at 100 days (p<0.0001) and 180 days (p<0.0001), whereas FOG was similar to CG (p<0.0001) at 100 days and higher at 180 days (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Flaxseed oil reduced the damage caused by maternal hyperglycemia, promoting normal pancreas histomorphometry and β cell mass.

Flaxseed (linum usitatissimum) flour contributes to bone health in adult male rats

OBJECTIVE This study evaluated effects of flaxseed flour diet on bone health in adult Wistar male rats at 180 d. METHODS After birth, pups were randomly assigned: Control (C, n = 12) and flaxseed flour (FF, n = 12) diet during lactation period. At 21 d, pups were weaned and they continued to receive the control and experimental diet, respectively. At 180 d, body length, total bone structure, and femur and lumbar vertebrae were evaluated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Femoral and lumbar vertebra dimensions, biomechanical properties of femur, and serum osteocalcin were measured. RESULTS FF produced greater (P <0.05) total (+3.4%) and spine (+5.9%) bone mineral density, total (+10%) and spine (+12%) bone mineral content, total bone area (+8.7%), and osteocalcin (+82%). As to femur, FF produced greater (P <0.05) width of diaphysis (+8.1%), bone mineral density (+5.2%), maximum force (+10.6%), breaking strength (+12.9%), and stiffness (+23%). CONCLUSION This experimental study found that a diet containing flaxseed flour contributed to bone mineral density and femur resistance at 180 d.

The use of flaxseed flour during pregnancy and lactation reverses lower birth weight in offspring from diabetic mothers but averts the development during lactation

UNLABELLED Diabetes is a complication which occurring during gestation might substantially influence the development of offspring during fetal life and postnatally. Flaxseed is a source of omega-3, that the appropriate supply during gestation and lactation are determinant for a suitable perinatal growth and development. The present study aimed to assess beneficial effects of the use of flaxseed flour during pregnancy and lactation on body development from birth to weaning of offspring from diabetic mothers. METHODS twelve rats from a total of eighteen were induced to diabetes by high-fat diet during four weeks, also receiving one lower dose of streptozotocin. After confirmation of diabetes (glucose>300 mg/dL), they were mated and when pregnancy was confirmed, they were divided in 3 groups: high-fat group (HFG), high-fat flaxseed flour group (HFFFG) and control group (CG), receiving high- fat diet, high-fat diet added flaxseed flour and control diet, respectively. They were fed this way during whole gestation and lactation. The body development of offspring was measured weekly since the first day after birth until weaning. RESULTS At birth, the average body mass of offspring from diabetics mothers who received only high-fat diet was 23,6% lighter than body mass of offspring from non-diabetics mothers (p<0,05), while the animals from diabetic mothers who consumed flaxseed flour during pregnancy and lactation showed the same body mass than the control group. During all experiment HFFFG group showed decreased body mass (about 20%, p<0,05)in comparison with control group. CONCLUSION The treatment with flaxseed flour was capable of avoiding lower birth weight in offspring from diabetic mothers. However, the consumption of flaxseed flour by mothers during lactation yielded decrease offspring weight at weaning.