Effects of linseed components on metabolic parameters in rats induced metabolic syndrome

Background/Aims: Modest changes in dietary intake can delay the onset of metabolic disorders. Linseed is a widely available source of plant lignans and dietary fibre that could be used as a functional food. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of linseed components on metabolic parameters in diet-induced metabolic
syndrome in rats.

Methods: Male Wistar rats were fed with corn starch diet (C) or high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet (H) diet and divided into eight groups for 16 week feeding with; C, H, C with raw linseed (RL), defatted linseed (DL) or secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) for last 8 weeks (CRL, CDL or CSDG) or H with RL, DL or SDG for last 8 weeks (HRL, HDL or HSDG). Doses of defatted linseed and SDG were similar to the amounts in 5% raw linseed. Parameters assessed included cardiovascular structure, blood pressure, diastolic stiffness and collagen deposition; metabolic parameters including body composition, blood glucose and cholesterol concentrations, and liver structure and function.

Results: Supplementation of lignan or defatted linseed in H diet for eight weeks lowered body weight gain, total fat mass and improved cardiovascular function, whereas raw linseed increased adiposity with no changes in other metabolic markers except for reduced systolic blood pressure.

Conclusions: Lignan and defatted linseed reduced the symptoms of metabolic syndrome. However, raw linseed produced minimal responses possibly due to lack of digestion of raw linseed in the rat intestine, so that the nutritional benefits of the components are unable to be realised.