Immunomodulatory effect of capsaicinoids on metainflammation in Wistar rats with nutritional obesity

ВACKGROUND. Obesity and overweight occupy one of the leading places in the structure of morbidity in the population around the world. Of particular relevance is the task of developing effective methods for treating this pathology, including diet therapy using biologically active substances with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

AIM was to study the effect of capsaicinoids on the immune status in a model of nutritional obesity in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS. The study was carried out on male Wistar rats, which were randomized by body weight into 3 groups (10 animals each, initial body weight 350±10 g). The rats received a semisynthetic standard diet (group 1) and a high-calorie choline-deficient diet (HCChDD) (groups 2 and 3). Animals were intragastrically administered (3.33 ml/kg body weight) 3 times a week sunflower oil (groups 1 and 2) or hot pepper extract (capsaicin — 59%, dihydrocapsaicin — 31%, nordihydrocapsaicin — 4%) in sunflower oil (group 3) in a single dose of 15 mg capsaicinoids/kg body weight. Hematological studies were performed on a Coulter ACT TM 5 diff OV hematological analyzer (Beckman Coulter, USA). The study of the subpopulation composition of lymphocytes was carried out using a flow cytometer FC-500 (Beckman Coulter, USA). The content of cytokines in the blood plasma of rats was determined by multiplex immunoassay using a Luminex 200 analyzer (Luminex Corporation, USA).

RESULTS. In rats of the 2nd group, compared with the control, the presence of neutrophilic leukocytosis (1.20±0.13 vs 0.72±0.07 x10⁹/l; p < 0.05). A study of the subpopulation composition of lymphocytes in rats of the 2nd group revealed an increase in the relative content of T-helpers (61.41±1.31 vs 53.30±3.25%; p < 0.05) and the value of the immunoregulatory index (IRI): (1.94±0.15 vs 1.55±0.14; 0.05<p < 0.10) compared to the control group. Administration of capsaicinoids to rats of the 3rd group led to the normalization of these indicators. In animals of the 2nd group, a significant increase in the blood plasma levels of cytokines was found: IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-5, IL-10, IL-17A, and MCP-1 and a decrease in the content of IL-2 and TNF-α according to compared with the control group. Capsaicinoids administered to rats of group 3 provided an increase (p < 0.05) in the levels of: IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A, MIP-1α and TNF-α and a decrease (p < 0.05) in the content of IL-12(p70) and MIP-2 compared to groups 2 and 1. Due to this influence, the median ratio of the level of IL-10 to IL-12(p70) increased significantly (1.52 vs 0.29 and 0. 23), but the median IL-10/17A remained significantly lower than the control value (1.54 vs 3.07).

CONCLUSION. The anti-inflammatory effect of capsaicinoids in the extract of hot capsicum on nutritional obesity in rats has been established.

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