Beneficial Effects of Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var italica) By-products in Diet-induced Obese Mice

Background/Aim: Obesity currently affects the whole world, with greater incidence in high-income countries, with vast economic and social costs. Broccoli harvest generates many by-products equally rich in bioactive compounds with potential anti-obesity effects. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-obesity effects of broccoli by -products flour (BF) in obese mice. Materials and Methods: A commercial high-fat diet formulation (representing a Western diet) was used to induce obesity in mice. BF (0.67% or 1.34% weight/weight) was incorporated as a chemoprevention compound into a control and a hypercholesterolemic diet, at two different concentrations, and fed for 14 weeks to C57BL/6J mice. For a therapeutic approach, two groups were fed with the hypercholesterolemic diet for 10 weeks, and then fed with BF-supplemented diets in the last 4 weeks of the study. Results: BF supplementation helped to maintain a lower body weight, reduced adipose tissue accumulation, and enhanced the basal activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione S-transferase. Although BF supplementation tended to reduce the relative liver weight increased by the Western diet, the differences were not significant. Conclusion: BF appears to have a beneficial effect in preventing weight gain and fat accumulation induced by hypercholesterolemic diets.

Automated summary

This study found that broccoli by-products flour (BF) has anti-obesity effects in obese mice, helping to maintain lower body weight, reduce adipose tissue accumulation, and enhance the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Although there were no significant effects on liver weight, BF appears to be beneficial in preventing weight gain and fat accumulation induced by a high-fat diet.