Metabolic parameters of wistar rats subjected to diet supplemented with stevia and sugar

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate weight gain, lipid profile, fasting glucose, liver function, and histological evaluation of the organs of wistar rats subjected to special diets hoping to establish a comparative analysis of stevia, and sucrose, comprising the following treatments: T1 (control), T2 (sucrose 4%), T3 (stevia 2%) and T4 (stevia 4%) and T5 (stevia 6%) for 45 days. There was no significant difference for weight gain, the average consumption of diet, levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol and VLDLc, urea and creatinine levels independent of dietary intake. The animals of T3 and T4 had lower glucose levels. The animals of T2 had a lower average value for HDLc, LDLc, while in the AST, the mean value was higher than others. Animals, treatments T1 and T5, showed average levels of ALT inferior to the others. The histological sections showed a layer of fat in the viscera (kidney) of animals of T2 and for the other animals from other treatments that feature was not observed. In this context, stevia has beneficial characteristics to health and can replace sugar.