Objective:
This study evaluated the effect of oral glucosamine on overweight and dyslipidemia caused by a high-fat diet in rats.
Methods:
Four groups of Wistar rats: fed with commercial rodent food and drinking water without (control group) and with glucosamine (500 mg kg-1 per day) and a high-fat diet enriched with 24% (g/g) butter pork and drinking water without and with glucosamine, for 22 weeks; the body weight, abdominal fat, blood glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and high density lipoprotein in serum were evaluated.
Results:
Body weight gain, increased blood glucose levels and dyslipidemia were observed in the high-fat diet group versus the control group (p<0.001). When glucosamine was administered the same diet the effects were minimized, with a decrease in the amount of abdominal-fat and lipid profile levels in serum (p>0.05), regulated body weight, and high density lipoprotein and glycaemia (p<0.05). The glucosamine did not affect body weight and lipid metabolism in rats when administered with a normal diet.
Conclusions:
Glucosamine regulated the body weight blood glucose and dyslipidemia caused by a high-fat diet, favoring increased high density lipoprotein cholesterol in rats. It did not affect body weight and lipid metabolism when administered with commercial food.
Blood glucose; Glucosamine; Cholesterol, HDL; Body weight