Therapeutic effects of okra and/or exercise training in animals with metabolic syndrome

• Grant number: 16/13099-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2016
• End date: September 30, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Alessandra Medeiros
• Grantee: Ana Carolina Cardoso dos Santos
• Host Institution: Instituto de Saúde e Sociedade (ISS). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Baixada Santista. Santos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a complex disorder described by a group of cardiovascular risk factors. Aerobic exercise training (ET) has the ability to alleviate / improve some of the MS risk factors. Moreover, okra is a food that was recently identified as a hypoglycemic agent and antioxidant, and may cooperate with energy homeostasis in experimental models of MS. However, the effect of both strategies (okra and TF), used together for the treatment of MS are not yet clarified. Objective: To analyze the effects of ET and/or okra in the treatment of MS. Materials and methods: 50 male Wistar rats will be divided into 5 experimental groups: one group will receive standard diet throughout the experimental protocol (CTL) and 4 groups that receive calorie diet for the development of MS (HFFD) for 13 weeks and after SM induction, a group will continue to receive only high calorie diet (HFFD), other groups will receive okra and will remain sedentary (HFFD + okra), another group will receive placebo and will be submitted to ET (HFFD + ET) and also have the group that will to receive okra and will be submitted to ET (HFFD + okra + ET). Okra will be administered by gavage and ET will be performed on a treadmill, 1h per day, 5 times a week at moderate intensity for 6 weeks. Will be investigated weekly, glucose, total cholesterol, body weight, triglyceride and blood pressure. It will be performed metabolic cage in 13a and 19a week experimental protocol for the measurement of consumption of water and feed and excretion of urine and feces.