Morphological, biochemical and histological effects of aqueous extracts of peanut (Arachis hypogaea) on swiss mice in different diets.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the morphological, biochemical, and histological effects of aqueous extracts of peanut (skinless and added to 1% skin) in Swiss mice submitted to a high-fat diet.

METHODS

Forty male Swiss mice were divided into four groups (n=10 per group): GI) normocaloric diet; GII) high-fat diet; GIII) high-fat diet + 0.5 mL of peanut extract; GIV) high-fat diet + 0.5 mL of peanut extract + 1% peanut skin. The animals were weighed weekly and euthanized after 12 weeks for histopathological and biochemical analyses. The study was approved by the Animal Use Ethics Committee.

RESULTS

The animals in the GIV group had higher body weight when compared to the other ones. Increase in total cholesterol in GIII, increase in blood glucose in groups GII, GIII and GIV, decrease in serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) concentration in groups GI and GIV and increase in serum concentration of C-reactive protein in GII were seen. The presence of vacuolar fat deposits was found in animal livers from GII.

CONCLUSIONS

The extracts improved the plasma concentrations of animals that received a high-fat diet, including preventing morphological damage to liver tissue. These benefits were enhanced by the association of peanut shells with the extract.