Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of cold-pressed maqui (Aristotelia chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz) seed oil (MO) on liver metabolism and biochemical markers in a high-fat diet (HFD) murine model. In it, the fatty acid profile, tocopherol and tocotrienol contents, and antioxidant capacity of MO were analyzed. Male C57BL/6 mice were divided into four groups (i.e., a, b, c, and d groups) and supplemented for 12 weeks according to the following distribution: (a) control diet (CD)-sunflower oil (SO), (b) CD+MO, (c) HFD+SO, and (d) HFD+MO. Total body and organ weights, serum markers, and liver fat infiltration were assessed. MO contained 32.31% oleic acid, 46.41% linoleic acid, and 10.83% alpha-linolenic acid; additionally, alpha- and gamma-tocopherol levels were 339.09 +/- 5.15 and 135.52 +/- 38.03 mg/kg, respectively, while beta-, delta-tocopherol, and alpha-tocotrienol were present in trace amounts and the antioxidant capacity measured was 6.66 +/- 0.19 mu mol Trolox equivalent/g. MO supplementation significantly reduced the visceral fat (0.76 +/- 0.06 g vs. 1.32 +/- 0.04 g) and GPT (glutamate pyruvate transaminase) levels (71.8 +/- 5.0 vs. 35.2 +/- 2.6 U/L), and the liver fat infiltration score (6 vs. 3) in the HFD+MO group compared to HFD+SO. It is suggested that MO may effectively prevent fatty liver disease, warranting further research on its potential benefits for human health.