Solanum lycocarpum St. Hill. fibrous fraction intake can contribute to counteract diet-induced obesity co-morbidities

Solanum lycocarpum St. Hill is a Brazilian Cerrado fruit popularly known as wolf-apple, lobeira or fruta-do-lobo. The proximate composition of fruta-do-lobo showed that the flour prepared from the fruit's pulp has 23g/100g of fiber, which is considered rich in fiber. Data from the literature suggest that dietary fiber intake can positively decrease body weight gain and its adverse side effects through physiological effects and metabolism modulation. From this perspective, this study aimed to analyze the nutritional effects of the fibrous fraction (FF) obtained after extraction of resistant starch from fruta-do-lobo flour in mice with diet-induced obesity. Swiss mice (n = 22) were randomized into three different groups according to the diet offered: control (AIN 93-G diet), HF (high-fat diet – 4% vegetable oil; 31% lard), and FF (HF diet + 3% fibrous fraction of fruta-do-lobo). It was observed that consuming a diet containing the fibrous fraction (FF) promoted histological changes compared to the obese control group (HF) since the liver weight was lower and there was an improvement in hepatic steatosis. Even so, some biological results were observed in the FF group with a profile more similar to the lean control group than the HF group, namely epididymal tissue weight, liver weight, and kITT. It is important to point out that many variables, such as the duration of the protocol and the doses of supplemented dietary fiber, may be associated with the results observed in the present study. However, there is some evidence that the fibrous fraction of fruta-do-lobo can be used as an ingredient to supplement dietary fiber intake and contribute to health promotion.