Evaluation of fatty acid prodile in overweight subjects treated with orlistat applied GC-Em and evaluation of metabolic profile of plasma by 1H NMR

Author(s)

Thiago Inácio Barros Lopes

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Química
• Defense date: 2012-02-28

Examining board members

Anita Jocelyne Marsaioli; Glaucia Braz Alcântara; Carol Hollingworth Collins

• Advisor: Anita Jocelyne Marsaioli

Abstract

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are currently more than 1.5 billion overweight adults, a number that is expected to double until 2015. Obesity and overweight are diseases characterized by excessive accumulation of body fat and linked to various health problems. Several drugs have been used to treat such diseases. Orlistat is a gastric lipase inhibitor largely used to reduce the absorption of dietary fat, helping weight loss. Thus this thesis aimed at the metabolic variation of overweight subjects treated with Orlistat for 120 days. This work is divided into two parts: Part I, implementation of the analytical methodology for analysis of fatty acids by GC-MS and evaluation of the fatty acid profile in overweight subjects treated with Orlistat; and Part II, evaluation of the metabolic profile of plasma of overweight subjects treated with Orlistat using ¹H NMR. In the Part I of this work, principal component analysis was applied to selected ions (m/z) for determination of fatty acids, after preparation of the corresponding methyl esters, by GC-MS using selected ion monitoring. Four ions were selected. The ions of m/z 74, 79, 81 and 87 allowed the quantification of various fatty acids and determination of the number of double bounds in theo fatty acids through the relative abundance of these selected ions. The analytical methodology implemented permitted quantify esterifing fatty acids in various lipids in blood, after transesterification for production of methyl esters of fatty acids, with adequate accuracy, repeatability and low limits of detection and quantification. In the second step, the analytical methodology was applied to study the fatty acid profile of 20 overweight women treated with Orlistat for 120 days. Although there was no significant reduction in body mass index, the treatment contributed to significant reduction of HDL-cholesterol levels in plasma and the cholesterol content in erythrocyte membranes. The Orlistat also alters the relative proportions of various fatty acids in the several lipids studied. Additionally, a significantly different fatty acid profile was observed for lean subjects (controls) compared to overweight subjects. In Part II, the metabolic profile of plasma obtained by ¹H NMR was studied by a metabolomics approach. The partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) revealed changes in lactate and magnesium level, these metabolites were important to differentiating between overweight subjects treated and not-treated with Orlistat, suggesting that the level of these metabolites decreased with treatment. There are no previous reports of changes in lactate levels. Additionally, levels of triglycerides, alanine and lactate were highlighted by PLS-DA into distinguishing between lean and overweight individuals (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/04315-8 - Evaluation of the fatty acid profile in patients treated with orlistat, using GC/MS and 1H NMR
• Grantee: Thiago Inácio Barros Lopes
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master