Evaluation of blood pressure and aortic elasticity of offspring of diabetic Wistar rats who have consumed flaxseed oil during pregnancy and lactation

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether maternal use of flaxseed oil has effects on blood pressure and aorta elastic fibre in female offspring of diabetic mothers.

Methods: Diabetes was induced into the rats (n = 18) by a high-fat diet and streptozotocin. After diabetes confirmation, rats were mated, and after pregnancy was confirmed, they were allocated into three groups: control group (CG); high-fat group (HFG); and flaxseed oil group (FOG). At weaning, female offspring (n = 6/group) received standard chow diet and were euthanized at 100 days of life. The following blood pressure and the percentage of the aortic elastic fibre were analysed.

Results: HFG showed higher blood pressure, and the use of flaxseed oil avoided this condition in FOG (p < 0.001) and increased the percentage of the aortic elastic fibre (p < 0.022).

Conclusions: Flaxseed oil reduced the damage caused by maternal hyperglycaemia, promoting normal blood pressure and elasticity of the aorta in female offspring.

Keywords:

• Blood pressure
• diabetes
• flaxseed oil
• metabolic programming
• rats

Declaration of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

This research was supported by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq; grant number 477763/2011–1) and the Rio de Janeiro State Foundation for Scientific Research (FAPERJ grant number E-26/100.001/2012).