Fermented Wheat Germ Extract (Avemar) in the Treatment of Cardiac Remodeling and Metabolic Symptoms in Rats

Table 2

Physiological parameters of CS, CAF+BT and CAF+BT+AVE-fed rats.

Parameter	Corn starch (16 weeks)	CAF + BT (8 weeks)	CAF + BT (16 weeks)	CAF + BT + AVE (16 weeks)
Body weight (g)	341 ± 13 (n = 8)	448 ± 11 (n = 8)	523 ± 14 (n = 8)	479 ± 8 (n = 8)
Daily water intake (mL)	24.0 ± 2.4 (n = 6)	19.1 ± 3.0 (n = 6)	21.6 ± 4.0 (n = 6)	19.0 ± 3 (n = 6)
Daily food intake (g)	29.0 ± 4.3 (n = 6)	26.1 ± 2.8 (n = 6)	22.4 ± 1.8 (n = 6)	22.0 ± 4 (n = 6)
Daily drug intake (g/kg/day)	N/A	N/A	N/A	1.83 ± 0.25 (n = 6)
Fasting plasma glucose; concentrations (mmol/L)	3.2 ± 0.5 (n = 6)	3.5 ± 0.1 (n = 6)	4.0 ± 0.1* (n = 6)	3.6 ± 0.1** (n = 6)
Plasma glucose concentration (mmol/L) (after 120 min glucose loading)	6.0 ± 0.4 (n = 4)	5.9 ± 0.2 (n = 6)	7.0 ± 0.4* (n = 6)	4.4 ± 0.2** (n = 6)
LVIDd (cm)	0.61 ± 0.02 (n = 6)	0.78 ± 0.01* (n = 8)	0.76 ± 0.02* (n = 8)	0.73 ± 0.01* (n = 8)
LVPWd (cm)	0.18 ± 0.01 (n = 4)	0.16 ± 0.01 (n = 8)	0.20 ± 0.01 (n = 8)	0.17 ± 0.01 (n = 8)
Fractional shortening (%)	63 ± 2 (n = 4)	44 ± 2* (n = 8)	35 ± 1* (n = 8)	54 ± 2** (n = 8)
Mitral valve flow rate (E/A) ratio	2.1 ± 0.1 (n = 6)	1.8 ± 0.1 (n = 6)	1.1 ± 0.01* (n = 6)	1.4 ± 0.12** (n = 6)
Estimated LV mass (g)	0.82 ± 0.06 (n = 4)	0.88 ± 0.03 (n = 8)	1.01 ± 0.05* (n = 8)	0.82 ± 0.03** (n = 8)
LV systolic volume (mL)	0.046 ± 0.01 (n = 5)	0.09 ± 0.01* (n = 8)	0.127 ± 0.01* (n = 8)	0.040 ± 0.01** (n = 8)
Cardiac output (mL/min)	93 ± 6 (n = 4)	98 ± 7 (n = 8)	83 ± 9 (n = 8)	105 ± 6 (n = 8)
Ejection fraction (%)	95 ± 0.9 (n = 4)	81 ± 2* (n = 8)	72 ± 1* (n = 8)	90 ± 0.9** (n = 8)
Relative wall thickness	0.55 ± 0.04 (n = 4)	0.41 ± 0.01* (n = 8)	0.51 ± 0.04 (n = 8)	0.45 ± 0.01** (n = 8)
LV—interstitial collagen; (% of total area)	4.8 ± 0.5 (n = 4)	14.6 ± 1.4* (n = 4)	19.9 ± 1.2* (n = 4)	8.4 ± 0.4** (n = 4)
LV—perivascular collagen; (% of total area)	21.2 ± 1.6 (n = 4)	31.2 ± 2.6* (n = 4)	35.3 ± 3.0* (n = 4)	26.1 ± 1.2** (n = 4)
Diastolic stiffness constant (𝜅)	20.5 ± 0.4 (n = 4)	26.3 ± 2.2* (n = 6)	27.8 ± 1.5* (n = 6)	21.6 ± 1.4** (n = 6)
LV + septum (mg/g body wt)	1.9 ± 0.2 (n = 4)	2.1 ± 0.03 (n = 8)	2.2 ± 0.07 (n = 8)	1.7 ± 0.1** (n = 8)
RV (mg/g body wt)	0.53 ± 0.03 (n = 4)	0.41 ± 0.01* (n = 8)	0.43 ± 0.02* (n = 8)	0.44 ± 0.02* (n = 8)
Liver (mg/g body wt)	26.7 ± 0.6 (n = 4)	28.2 ± 1.4 (n = 8)	29.9 ± 0.95 (n = 8)	23.1 ± 0.02** (n = 6)
Spleen (mg/g body wt)	2 ± 0.1 (n = 4)	1.8 ± 0.03 (n = 8)	1.68 ± 0.1 (n = 8)	1.75 ± 0.23 (n = 8)
Left and right kidney; (mg/g body wt)	5.15 ± 0.1 (n = 4)	6.3 ± 0.2* (n = 8)	5.94 ± 0.12* (n = 8)	5.13 ± 0.39** (n = 8)
Abdominal fat pads; (mg/mm tibial length)	401 ± 56 (n = 6)	343 ± 25 (n = 8)	826 ± 62* (n = 8)	339 ± 31** (n = 8)
Plasma malondialdehyde; (MDA) concentration (𝜇mol/L)	26.9 ± 0.7 (n = 5)	29.4 ± 0.5* (n = 5)	32.2 ± 1.2* (n = 5)	28.8 ± 0.6** (n = 5)

Values are mean ± SEM; number of experiments in parentheses. LV, left ventricle; RV, right ventricle; LVIDd, left ventricular internal diameter at diastole; LVPWd, left ventricular posterior wall thickness at diastole. LV mass calculated according to [25]. *P <  .05 versus CS; **P <  .05 versus CAF + BT.