Perfil nutricional de ratos Wistar submetidos a dieta rica em açúcar e tratados com extrato aquoso de insulina vegetal (Cissus sicyoides L.)

Abstract

The high consumption of sugar has led to several chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), especially when related to childhood and youth. In this context, phytotherapy emerges as an alternative to combat these diseases among the population. In this scenario, the plant known as "vegetable insulin" (*Cissus sicyoides*) has gained prominence due to studies that prove its hypoglycemic effects. The objective of this research was to analyze the nutritional profile of male Wistar rats treated with an aqueous extract of *Cissus sicyoides* exposed to a sugar-rich liquid diet. For the methodology, 32 male Wistar rats, 21 days old after weaning, were randomly distributed into four groups: Positive Control (C+), Negative Control (C-), Group treated with vegetable insulin at 100 mg/kg, and Group treated with vegetable insulin at 200 mg/kg, with each group containing 8 animals. During the experiment, solid and liquid consumption was measured weekly, as well as the Food Efficiency Ratio (FER). For 62 days, all groups were exposed to a sugar-rich liquid diet, except for the C- group, which received only filtered water as liquid consumption throughout the treatment. In adulthood (90 days old), the groups began receiving gavage with filtered water (C+, C-) or aqueous extract of vegetable insulin (I100 and I200). The treatment period with the plant extract lasted 28 days, and on day 29, the rats were euthanized for organ collection to analyze the relative organ weights. All results were expressed as mean and standard deviation, with statistical analysis performed using the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test, followed by Tukey's multiple comparison test, with a statistical significance threshold of 5%. The treated group (T) had higher liquid consumption compared to solid consumption, while the Cgroup had higher solid consumption compared to liquid intake. On day 63, the treatment with the plant extract began, and group T was subdivided into C+, I100, and I200, with all groups maintaining the same patterns from the start of the treatment. There was an increase in FER in group T during the exposure period, despite some variations, and it remained progressive throughout the treatment period. There was a decrease in relative liver weight in the I100 group and a reduction in kidney weight in the C+ and I100 groups. Regarding weight gain, there was an increase in group T during the exposure period starting in the 6th week compared to week 1 and the C- group. This early increase in weight gain in group T is attributed to the consumption of a sugar-rich liquid diet, which leads to early weight gain. This study concludes that the plant extract had a weight-reducing effect in the last week at the highest dose (week 13, dose I200). No other significant changes were observed in the nutritional parameters, suggesting that the well-known metabolic effects of the plant likely induce the most significant physiological modifications during treatment.