Japanese Quince Fruit Juice Exerts a Cardioprotective Effect in a Model of Diet-Induced Metabolic Syndrome in Rats

The current study aimed to evaluate the influence of Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica) fruit juice (JQFJ) on the myocardium and on the coronary arteries of rats with diet-induced metabolic syndrome (MS). Male Wistar rats (n=50) were divided into 5 groups: Control, MS, MS+JQFJ2.5, MS+JQFJ5 and MS+JQFJ10. MS was induced with a high-fat high-fructose diet for 10 weeks. During that period, all animals were daily orally treated with distilled water (Control and MS groups) or with JQFJ at doses of 2.5 ml/kg, 5 ml/kg and 10 ml/kg (the other three groups, respectively). At the end of the experiment, the myocardium and coronary arteries were examined histopathologically. In group MS, necrotic endothelial cells and exposed basal membrane were observed. JQFJ at 2.5 ml/kg reduced the impairment but activated endothelial cells were still found. JQFJ at 5 ml/kg and 10 ml/kg prevented coronary artery endothelium damage, preserving the normal morphology. The myocardium in MS group presented with cardiomyocyte degeneration and increased distance between the cells. In group MS+JQFJ2.5, the degeneration was decreased. In groups MS+JQFJ5 and MS+JQFJ10, the histology of the myocardium resembled that of the control group. In the current histopathological evaluation, JQFJ prevented the MS-induced impairment of myocardium and coronary arteries.