Extra virgin coconut oil (<i>Cocos nucifera</i> L.) intake shows neurobehavioural and intestinal health effects in obesity-induced rats
Maria Helena Araújo de Vasconcelos, Renata Leite Tavares, Maria Letícia da Veiga Dutra, Kamila Sabino Batista, Aline Barbosa D’Oliveira, Rafael Oliveira Pinheiro, Ramon de Alencar Pereira, Marcos dos Santos Lima, Mirian Graciela da Silva Stiebbe Salvadori, Evandro Leite de Souza, Marciane Magnani, Adriano Francisco Alves, Jailane de Souza Aquino
Abstract
gavage. Food preference, body weight gain, body composition, anxiety- and depression-like behaviour were evaluated. Bacteria and organic acids were evaluated in faeces, and histological analyses of the hippocampus and M1 and M2 macrophages in the colon were performed. E-VCO reduced energy intake (16.68%) and body weight gain (16%), although it did not reduce the fat mass of obese rats. E-VCO showed an antidepressant effect, increased lactic acid bacteria counts and modulated organic acids in obese rats. Furthermore, E-VCO protected the hippocampus from neuronal degeneration caused by the obesogenic diet, decreased the M1 macrophage and increased the M2 macrophage population in the gut. The results suggest neurobehavioural modulation and improved gut health by E-VCO, with promising effects against obesity-related comorbidities.