Germinated millet flour (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) reduces inflammation, oxidative stress, and liver steatosis in rats fed with high-fat high-fructose diet

This study investigated the effects of germinated millet flour on inflammation, oxidative stress, adiposity, and liver steatosis in Wistar rats fed with a high-fat high-fructose diet. In phase 1 of the experiment (8 weeks) the animals were separated into a control group with an AIN-93M diet (n = 10) and a high-fat high-fructose group (HFHF) (n = 20) with a diet rich in saturated fat (31%) and fructose (20%). In phase 2 (10 weeks), the control group was maintained on the AIN-93M diet (n = 10) and the HFHF group was divided into HFHF group (HFHF diet, n = 10) and the Millet group (HFHF with germinated millet flour replacing 43.6% dietary fiber, 100% starch, 36% protein and 39% oil in the experimental diet, n = 10). The germinated millet flour reduced (p < 0.05), in comparison with HFHF group, the adiposity (24.18 +/- 4.45g to millet and 32.89 +/- 8.46g to HFHF), triglycerides (100.00 +/- 17.93g to millet and 147.8 +/- 21.57g to HFHF), uric acid, ALT, NF-kappa B (131.9 +/- 97.14 pg/ml to millet and 346.3 +/- 58.88 pg/ml to HFHF), TNF-alpha (98.80 +/- 19.90 pg/ml to millet and 141.4 +/- 25.12 pg/ml to HFHF), platelet/lymphocyte and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, liver steatosis, inflammatory infiltrate (0.1880 +/- 0.07 pg/ml to millet and 1.269 +/- 0.17 pg/ml to HFHF), MDA levels, and liver collagen deposition. Further, germinated millet increased (p < 0.05) IL-10 (1511 +/- 528.50 pg/ml to millet and 483.8 +/- 91.59 pg/ml to HFHF), PPAR alpha protein, total antioxidant capacity of the liver (0.2825 +/- 0.04 pg/ml to millet and 0.2075 +/- 0.05 pg/ml to HFHF) and the activity of SOD and catalase, compared to HFHF group. Thus, germinated millet flour was able to reduce adiposity and liver steatosis and presented anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, which highlight its functional biological effects.

Automated summary

The study showed that germinated millet flour can reduce adiposity and liver steatosis, while also exhibiting anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in rats fed with a high-fat high-fructose diet.