GRAPE-SEED PROCYANIDINS AS ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AGENTS

Identifier:  TDX:452

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TDX452

Authors:  Terra Barbadora, Ximena

Abstract:
Once established that obesity is an inflammatory condition leading to chronic activation of the immune system response, the aim of this thesis was to characterize and understand if dietary procyanidins could modulate the low grade inflammatory response related to obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome. Due to the central role of macrophages in obesity induced low-grade inflammation, we analyzed procyanidin effects in an in vitro model of inflammation. By using rat models of obesity, we also assessed procyanidin anti-inflammatory effects in vivo. To sum up, our results showed that procyanidins act as anti-inflammatory agents both in vitro, by modulating the macrophage inflammatory response, and in vivo, by preventing both local and systemic inflammation through the modulation the inflammatory mediators. In conclusion, the use of procyandins will represent an additional nutritional approach that, in association with lifestyle interventions, would improve the obesity induced inflammation and as a consequence ameliorate the metabolic syndrome.