Effects of banana on ameliorating hyperlipidemia and cardiomyopathy in diabetic SHR

Abstract Background: We have shown that bananas could improve diabetes mellitus (DM) and related vascular dysfunction. Continuing the previous results, this study aims to find out the anti-DM-induced hyperlipidemia and cardiac dysfunction effect of bananas. This study selected spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) as the experimental subjects and divided them into 3 groups. Method: The control group (n=8) was fed standard chew. The type 2 diabetes group (T2D group; n=8) was intraperitoneally injected with streptozotocin and nicotinamide (STZ/NA) and fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Another group was intraperitoneally injected with STZ/NA and fed a HFD and the carbohydrate was exchanged with banana powder (BA) (T2D/BA group). Results: After four weeks, hyperlipidemia, hyperuricemia, and higher levels of GPT, IL-6, TNF-α, ox-LDL, and MDA occurred in the T2D group. Moreover, DM deteriorated the related lipid synthesis and metabolism proteins and also worsened the regulating cardiac fibrosis, hypertrophy-related proteins, and as well as inflammatory signaling proteins. In the T2D/BA group, except GPT, the above biochemical parameters affected by DM were all improved. Conclusions: We concluded that BA ameliorated DM-induced hyperlipidemia and worsened cardiomyopathy by improving lipid homeostasis, reversing cardiac dysfunction, and inhibiting inflammation. Together, we suggest that bananas may serve as an effective dietary intervention for the management of metabolic syndrome.