Abstract
Macaíba palm seed kernel is a source of lipids and phenolic compounds. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of macaíba palm seed kernel on anxiety, memory, and oxidative stress in the brain of health and dyslipidemic rats. Forty rats were used, divided into 4 groups (n = 10 each): control (CONT), dyslipidemic (DG), kernel (KG), and Dyslipidemic kernel (DKG). Dyslipidemia was induced using a high fat emulsion for 14 days before treatment. KG and DKG received 1000 mg/kg of macaíba palm seed kernel per gavage for 28 days. After treatment, anxiety tests were carried out using the Open Field Test (OFT), Elevated Plus Maze (EPM), and the Object Recognition Test (ORT) to assess memory. In the animals' brain tissue, levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and total glutathione (GSH) were quantified to determine oxidative stress. The data were treated with Two Way ANOVA followed by Tukey (p <0.05). Results demonstrated that the animals treated with kernel realized more rearing. DG and KG groomed less compared with CONT and DKG compared with all groups in OFT. KG spent more time in aversive open arms compared with CONT and DKG compared with all groups in EPM. Only DKG spent more time in the central area in EMP. KG and DKG showed a reduction in the exploration rate and MDA values (p <0.05). Data showed that macaíba palm seed kernel consumption induced anxiolytic-like behaviour and decreased lipids peroxidation in rats' brains. On the other hand, this consumption by healthy and dyslipidemic animals compromises memory.