Efeitos fisiopatológicos da ingestão de Noz da Índia (Aleurites moluccana) em ratos Wistar obesos e não obesos

Abstract

Aleurites moluccana is a medicinal plant popularly used for the treatment of gastritis, fever, pain, diarrhea, asthma and inflammations, and it may have antibacterial and antiviral effects. In Brazil, the plant is also known as “Nogueira de Iguapé”; or “Nogueira da India”. Its seed, called Nuts of India, has been used for aesthetic and rapid weight loss purpose due to its supposed laxative and diuretic properties. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the pathophysiological effects of Nut of India consumption on Wistar rats. This dissertation is divided into two chapters. In the first, a systematic review was carried out investigating the general medicinal effects of Aleurites moluccana. Thirteen articles were selected by means of an electronic search in the databases Pubmed, Scopus, Science Direct and Bireme, using the keywords Aleurites moluccana, function and effects. It has been found that the plant has analgesic, anti-inflammatory, healing and lipolytic effects. Most of the results came from experimental models with animals, and the scientific evidence is insufficient for specific therapeutic indications for each pathological condition. In the second chapter, we present the results of the experiment test with 30 male Wistar rats that were divided into a 2x3 factorial scheme [(obese or non-obese and three treatments: without NI, use of NI according to popular therapeutic scheme (8 days of oral administration of 0,2 mg/kg followed by 20 days with oral dosage of 0,4 mg/kg), and use of NI folded dosage of the popular therapeutic scheme (8 days of oral administration of 0,4 mg/kg followed by 20 days of oral dosage of 0,8 mg/kg – 2NI). The experimental period was 28 days and obesity was induced through a cafeteria diet for 30 days prior to initiation of therapy. Animals that ingested Nut of India had less visceral fat when compared to the control groups. The percentage of fat in the carcass also decreased as the concentrations of Nut of India increased. The serum levels of total cholesterol, LDL-c, HDL-c, VLDL-c and triacylglycerols were reduced in the groups that received NI and 2NI (p<0.05), as well as glycemia (p<0.05). Plasma concentration of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT) decreased with NI intake and increased in 2NI treatment (p<0.05). Plasma levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and the parameters related to the atherogenic index did not present significant difference among treatments (p>0,05). It has been concluded that the Nut of India was able to reduce parameters related to body fat and plasma lipids in both dosages used, in addition to decreasing the degree of hepatocyte vacuolation in obese animals. However, the use of 2NI dosage caused the appearance of mononuclear cell infiltration in the hepatic tissue and increased plasma levels of AST and GGT, suggesting hepatic overload.