Caíque Silveira Martins da Fonseca

Overfeeding of a hypercaloric diet leads to obesity, diabetes, chronic inflammation, and fatty liver disease. Although limiting fat or carbohydrate intake is the cornerstone for obesity management, whether lowering fat or reducing carbohydrate intake is more effective for health management remains controversial. This study used murine models to determine how dietary fat and carbohydrates may influence metabolic disease manifestation. Age-matched C57BL/6J mice were fed 2 hypercaloric diets with similar caloric content, one with very high fat and low carbohydrate content (VHF) and the other with moderately high fat levels with high sucrose content (HFHS) for 12 weeks. Both groups gained more weight and displayed hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and liver steatosis compared to mice fed a normal low-fat (LF) diet. Interestingly, the VHF-fed mice showed a more robust adipose tissue inflammation compared to HFHS-fed mice, whereas HFHS-fed mice showed liver fibrosis and inflammation that was not observed in VHF-fed mice. Taken together, these results indicate macronutrient-specific tissue inflammation with excess dietary fat provoking adipose tissue inflammation, whereas moderately high dietary fat with extra sucrose is necessary and sufficient for hepatosteatosis advancement to steatohepatitis. Hence, liver and adipose tissues respond to dietary fat and sucrose in opposite manners, yet both macronutrients are contributing factors to metabolic diseases.

Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) is a spice widely used for its medical properties, though the species lacks scientific evidence regarding its toxicity and biologic effects. The aim of this study was the chemical identification by GC-MS analysis and evaluation of the hemolytic, anticoagulant, antidiarrheal and antipyretic activities of the essential oil from S. aromaticum (EOSa) in adult male mice. Essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation and provided 9.8% v/w yield. GC-MS analyses allowed the identification of nine constituents, with eugenol (84.63%) as the majority. EOSa was diluted in several concentrations (0.005–2 mg/mL) for hemolytic assays, showing hemolytic activity above 20% in concentrations higher than 0.625 mg/mL. Different concentrations of EOSa induced a coagulation time 100% higher than control blood. 50 and 100 mg/kg of EOSa caused additional intestinal motility induced by castor oil by 90–100%. Fever, induced by Saccharomyces cerevisae 15% (s.c.), was controlled by 50 and 100 mg/kg EOSa (p.o.), effects similar to 100 mg/kg dypirone. Results showed that when used orally, EOSa may have a certain degree of toxicity in high dosages, but with antipyretic and intestinal motility properties.