Guava (Psidium guajava L.) leaf extract improves the prognosis of nonalcoholic fatty liver and biochemical parameters in rats with metabolic syndrome.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of chronic oral administration of commercial guava (Psidium guajava L.) leaf extract on biochemical markers and liver histology in a model of metabolic syndrome in rats. METHODS: Thirty-five Wistar rats were assigned to five independent groups (n=7 per group): the control group (CG), which received a diet with standard rodent food (Nutri-Cubos) and water; the metabolic syndrome group (MS), MS +.(Pg) low-dose (PgL; 100 mg/kg), MS + Pg medium-dose (PgM; 200 mg/kg), and MS +high-dose (PgH; 300 mg/kg) groups. MS was induced with a rich diet of fat and carbohydrates, in addition to the intake of a 30 % sucrose solutionfor 14 weeks. From week 15 onward, guava leaf extract or vehicle was administered orally every 24 h for 30 consecutive days without changing the experimental diet. At the end of the treatment, biochemical tests, liver histopathological analysis and adipose tissue analysis were performed. RESULTS: The MS group presented levels above the reference ranges for biochemical tests, weight gain, waist circumference gain, arterial hypertension, atypical liver cells and aberrant appearance in adipose rat tissue. The PgM and PgH groups presented opposite effects of MS on biochemical parameters, such as increased blood pressure and liver damage. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic treatment with Pg leaf extract attenuated MS in Wistar rats, restoring the levels of biochemical parameters and exerting hepatoprotective effects. These findings suggest that guajava extract could be used in the development of therapeutic agents to improve the biochemical and histological alterations induced by MS.