Maternal exposure to diets containing flaxseed flour or flaxseed oil during pregnancy and lactation protects the aortic remodeling in adult male offspring of diabetic rat dams.

Key Findings:

The administration of flaxseed during lactation has been reported to improve the lipid profile of the offspring in adulthood. This study assessed the cardiovascular biochemical indicators and the histoarchitecture of the aorta in adult rats which were an offspring of diabetic mothers that were fed with diets based in flaxseed oil or milled seed (flour) during gestation and lactation. The offspring of the mothers that were supplemented with flaxseed flour showed decreases of 28% in the triglycerides levels and of 28% in the VLDL-c levels The inflammatory marker MCP-1 was reduced in the adult offspring of diabetic showed that remodeling of the vascular wall was significantly smaller in the offspring of rats which received a diet with an addition of flaxseed flour or oil. Flaxseed when administrated during gestation and lactation has a cardioprotective effect against the aortic remodeling of the offspring when it reaches 100 days of life.

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND: Diabetes during pregnancy is associated with cardiovascular complications in the fetus and extends into adulthood. Therapeutic applications of flaxseed has been studied in cardiovascular disorders, because it oilseed the best plant source of omega-3 fatty acid, which are currently considered by researchers, essential protective against cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study to evaluate the influence of flaxseed flour and oil upon the cardiovascular biochemical parameters and the histoarchitecture of the aorta in adult rats which were an offspring of diabetic mothers. RESULTS: At 100 days of age in offspring was observed that maternal consumption of high fat diet containing flaxseed oil (FOG) and flaxseed flour (FFG) did not affect in the serum concentration of the MCP-1, VEGF, cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-c, LDL-c, and VLDL-c. But, the thickness of the intima-media layer of the aorta was significantly smaller in FOG and FFG groups; the lumen area was similar amongst the groups; and, a higher percentage of the elastic fiber was founded in FOG and FFG. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that both the use of flaxseed flour as its oil reduce the remodeling of the aorta, however it has not been able to modify the cardiovascular biochemical parameters. (Authors abstract)