Quinoa seed: A source of lipophilic nutraceuticals for the prevention of metabolic syndrome in a rat model

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a cluster of metabolic changes including hypertriglyceridemia, elevated glucose tolerance and fatty liver. The aim of this research was to study the bioactivity of petroleum ether extracts prepared from quinoa 1 and Hualhuas quinoa in a MS rat model. Fatty acids and α-tocopherol were assessed in the extracts. MS was induced by feeding a high fructose-high fat diet (HFFD). Four groups of rats were assigned: the control group, fed a balanced diet; the control group, fed a HFFD diet; and two test groups, fed on a HFFD diet and treated by either quinoa 1 or hualhuas extract. The Glucose tolerance, plasma lipids, oxidative stress biomarkers, liver lipids and histopathology of the liver and heart were assessed. The results showed that extracts from both quinoa varieties had the potential to prevent MS; although quinoa 1 was more effective. In both varieties, the major fatty acid was linoleic. Hualhuas showed a higher percentage of linolenic acid than quinoa 1; while more alpha-tocopherol was present in quinoa1.