Impact of a Green Cabbage-Based Diet on Selected Proinflammatory Cytokines and Hormones in Pre-Eclamptic Rats

Abstract

The growing interest in functional foods has led to the utilization of various vegetables for their nutritional benefits. This study focused on the development and evaluation of a green cabbage-enriched meal and the investigation of the impact of the enriched cookies on selected proinflammatory cytokines and hormones in pre-eclamptic Wistar rats. A cabbage-based diet was formulated and assessed for proximate composition and sensory qualities. In vivo studies were carried out with thirty-five female rats, which were completely randomized into 7 groups. The effect of continued feeding with the diet on immunological parameters was observed. The data obtained from the results were subjected to statistical analysis using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The proximate composition results indicated that the cabbage-based diet exhibited the highest ash content (2.47%–3.6%) and fiber content (2.40%–4.03%). Additionally, the cabbage-based diet exhibited a lower fat content of 9.00%. However, the pre-eclampsia (PE) + cabbage diet group demonstrated TNF-α and IL-6 levels comparable to control groups, showing the anti-inflammatory potential of cabbage, likely due to its sulforaphane content. Similarly, the PE + amlodipine group exhibited reduced cytokine levels, reinforcing the anti-inflammatory effects of the antihypertensive drug. Hormonal analysis revealed significantly lower progesterone levels in pre-eclamptic rats, aligning with impaired placental function and increased vascular resistance. However, the cabbage-based diet appeared to mitigate these hormonal disruptions. These findings suggest that dietary interventions, particularly harnessing bioactive compounds in vegetables, have the potential to serve as a complementary approach to managing inflammation and hormonal imbalances in PE.