Abstract

DYPTERYX ALATA VOGEL SEEDS MAY IMPROVE ANTHROPOMETRIC AND BEHAVIORAL PROFILE OF WISTAR RATS

Adriana Maria Ragassi Fiorini, Élen Landgraf Guiguer, Sandra Maria Barbalho*, Marie Oshiiwa, Rogério Lopes Vieites, Flávia M. V. Farinazzi-Machado, Elis Pandolfi Pinto, Jane Celi do Nascimento Rodrigues, Igor Burle Ishida, Claudia C. T. Nicolau and Paulo Sérgio Marinelli

Abstract

Dipteryx alata Vogel (DA), popularly known as baru, is a native tree from the Brazilian Cerrado and belongs to the family Fabaceae. It possesses a seed (almond), covered by a sweet yellow pulp and a brown shell that is rich in proteins, with an important amount of essential amino acids, unsaturated fatty acids, mainly oleic acid, fiber, vitamins and minerals. The objective of this research was to investigate the effects of baru almonds on the anthropometric profile and behavioral of Wistar rats. Animals weighting 180g-220g were divided randomly in G1 (n=10) that was fed water and rat food ad libitum and G2 (n=10) that was fed water and rat food supplemented with DA 40% ad libitum for 40 days. Our results showed that Dipteryx alata reduce food intake and may help prevent the increase in body weight and deposition of visceral fat as well as it may help in the reduction of the anxiety behavior. Baru seeds may play an important role in the agro- industry due to its nutritional properties and flavor and may work as adjuvants in the treatment of several pathologies such as obesity.

Keywords: Dipteryx alata, obesity, behavior.