Protective effect of R. glutinosa oligosaccharides against high l-carnitine diet-induced endothelial dysfunction and hepatic injury in mice

Current research for the first time demonstrated that endothelial dysfunction and hepatic injury in mice were induced by ingestion of 3% l-carnitine water for consecutive 10 weeks. Interestingly, oral administration of dietary raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs) at 400 and 800 mg/kg bw significantly reduced the impact of l-carnitine on the serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, high- and low-density lipoproteins, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate amino-transferase, NO, endothelin-1 and C-reactive protein. Furthermore, l-carnitine-induced elevation of hepatic lipid contents and malonaldehyde formation, and the inhibition of SOD and GSH-Px activities in mice were markedly ameliorated by oral administration of RFOs. Moreover, histopathology of H&E and Oil Red O staining of the liver also confirmed the protective effect of RFOs against hepatic steatosis and oxidative injury induced by high l-carnitine diet in mice. These findings for the first time suggest that RFOs may alleviate endothelial dysfunction and liver injury from ingestion of high l-carnitine diet.