Abstract
<jats:p>Background/objective: This in vivo and in vitro studies aims to test the hypothesis that functional foods represented by fruit vinegars (FVs) can be an alternative dietary treatment for body weight loss in obesity, and metabolic syndrome/inflammation complications can lead to the diabetes development. Methods: In vivo experiment was carried on Wistar rat, Sprague Dawley strain, divided into 04 groups including n=30 rats/group: i) Group I or Control group fed the standard laboratory diet; ii) Group II or Control group, fed the HyperFat Diet (HFD); iii) Group III or therapeutic group, fed HFD and treated separately with pomegranate or prickly pear or apple FVs by 7ml /kg body weight/day administered orally for 18 weeks; iv) Group IV or Placebo group, fed HFD and received orally 7ml of saline solution (0.09%) for 18 weeks. In vitro experiment was conducted on 3T3-preadipocytes cell line to study the anti-adipogenic effects, and on Raw 264,7 cell line to study the anti-inflammatory effects. Results: The major results reveal that FVs exerts a powerful body-fat loss linked to fat oxidation, sustained by RQ=0.7 and increase BMR, associated with elevated serum free fatty acids, which confirms lipolytic activity. Among the 3 vinegars, pomegranate vinegar showed the greatest health benefit; however, hepatic steatosis and dyslipidemia were normalized by apple vinegar, which has proven to be the most effective. FVs exerts a spectacular anti- obesogenic effect by inhibiting the differentiation of 3T3-preadipocytes into mature adipocytes; and by inhibiting the inflammatory-necrotic process via the suppression of cytokines TNFα, IL-6, IL-1β production. The PPARγ, C/EBPα and NF-κB modulation signaling pathways is convincing. Conclusions: the data from this study are considered a preclinical phase with potential translational relevance, but not clinical recommendations. Ultimately, Fruit vinegars represent an emerging therapeutic prospective as functional foods, thus justifying further human clinical research.</jats:p>