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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Little Rock, Arkansas » Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #244061
Title: Purified berry anthocyanins but not whole berries normalize lipid parameters in mice fed an obesogenic high fat diet

Author
item Prior, Ronald
item WU, XIANLI - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)
item GU, LIWEI - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)
item HAGER, TIFFANY - University Of Arkansas
item HAGER, AARON - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)
item WILKES, SAMUEL - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)
item HOWARD, LUKE - University Of Arkansas

Submitted to: Molecular Nutrition and Food Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/28/2009
Publication Date: 11/15/2009
Citation: Prior, R.L., Wu, X., Gu, L., Hager, T., Hager, A., Wilkes, S., Howard, L. 2009. Purified berry anthocyanins but not whole berries normalize lipid parameters in mice fed an obesogenic high fat diet. Molecular Nutrition and Food Research. 53(11):1406-1418.

Interpretive Summary: Obesity is recognized as a major health issue in the U.S. and other developed countries. Diet is one component of a multitude of complex factors that can impact this problem. Recent findings indicate that anthocyanins, the components in some fruits and berries that give them the dark blue/red colors, can alter the development of obesity, at least in animal models. Many berries are rich sources of anthocyanins, but no information is available to indicate whether consumption of berries will alter development of obesity. Feeding purified anthocyanins from blueberry or strawberry was effective in slowing the development of obesity in a mouse model of obesity. However, anthocyanins fed as the whole blueberry were not effective in slowing the development of obesity. Further studies are needed to help understand why feeding the whole berry was not effective in preventing obesity.

Technical Abstract: Male C57BL/6 mice received diets with either 10% of kcal from fat (LF), or a high fat diet [45% (HF45) or 60% (HF60) kcal from fat]. Diets were prepared with or without freeze dried powders (10%) from whole blueberries (BB), strawberries (SB), Concord grape (CG) or black raspberry (BRB). In the 2nd study, purified anthocyanins (ACNs) from SB or BB were added to the drinking water of the treatments fed the HF60 diet. In Study 1, serum triglycerides were increased by feeding the HF45 diet but were elevated further when BRB or BB was included in the HF45 diet. Liver total lipids and triglycerides were increased in mice fed HF45 diet, and inclusion of any of the berry powders in the HF45 diet did not alter concentrations compared to HF45 controls. In the 2nd study, mice fed the HF60 diet plus purified ACNs from BB in the water, had lower body weight gains and body fat than the HF60 fed. Serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels were elevated with the HF60 diet and decreased to control levels when ACNs from either SB or BB were included in the drinking water. Serum leptin levels were consistently decreased to control LF levels in those anthocyanin treatments in which measures of body fat were decreased. Administering purified anthocyanins from blueberry and strawberry via drinking water prevented the development of dyslipidemia and obesity in mice, but feeding diets containing whole berries or purple corn anthocyanins did not alter the development of obesity.