Journal of Functional Foods (Jul 2022)

Extra virgin coconut oil (Cocos nucifera L.) exerts anti-obesity effect by modulating adiposity and improves hepatic lipid metabolism, leptin and insulin resistance in diet-induced obese rats

  • Maria Helena Araújo de Vasconcelos,
  • Renata Leite Tavares,
  • Emanuel Ubaldino Torres Junior,
  • Victor Augusto Mathias Dorand,
  • Kamila Sabino Batista,
  • Lydiane Tavares Toscano,
  • Alexandre Sergio Silva,
  • Angela Maria Tribuzy de Magalhães Cordeiro,
  • Bruno Ranieri Lins de Albuquerque Meireles,
  • Rubens da Silva Araujo,
  • Adriano Francisco Alves,
  • Jailane de Souza Aquino

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 94
p. 105122

Abstract

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Few studies have addressed the effect of extra virgin coconut oil (E-VCO) in obesity. Therefore, this study investigated the anti-adiposity effect of E-VCO focusing on biochemical parameters and liver health of obese rats. E-VCO contains caprilyc, capric and lauric fatty acids and rutin, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, salicylic acid as major phenolic compounds. A total of 32 male Wistar rats were randomized into four groups: healthy; healthy treated with E-VCO; obese; obese treated with E-VCO. The rats consumed a control or cafeteria diet for 16 weeks. The treated groups received 3,000 mg/kg of E-VCO via gavage. E-VCO reduced body mass and adiposity index and improved hormonal parameters. E-VCO also decreased the accumulation of liver fat, hepatic cholesterol and triglyceride levels, increased faecal cholesterol excretion and decreased faecal triglycerides excretion. E-VCO had an anti-adiposity effect and reversed changes in liver and adipose tissues induced by obesity with improvements in metabolic parameters.

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