Effects of chronic scheduled–caloric dietary on ghrelin secretion and food intake in adult male rats

Effects of chronic scheduled dietary on plasma ghrelin and food intake in adult male rats were assessed.

Forty male Wistar rats (180-200g) were distributed into four groups (n=10), freely fed rats (control) and three scheduled-fed groups with different caloric intakes: high fat, standard and restricted diet. Then, plasma ghrelin and food intake were measured on days 0, 7 and 14.

Plasma ghrelin was significantly different among all groups, the scheduled-standard rats having the lowest ghrelin on day 7 and the restricted rats having the highest ghrelin on day 14. Noteworthy, fasted ghrelin in controls was as much as that of schedule groups exception restricted diet at the end of experiment. Controls consumed stable food over the time, while schedule groups showed time and caloric-dependency of food intake. Schedule-standard and restricted groups on feeding time consumed high level of food. Schedule-high fat group displayed a time dependent reduction in food intake. A positive correlation was found between plasma ghrelin and food intake in fasting status for freely fed rats and anticipating status for standard and restricted-schedule groups.

A component of ghrelin secretion can be entrained or learned for time feeding as well as long last-fasting and more is affected by quantitative and qualitative of caloric intake. Elevated ghrelin levels in restricted model are subjective both by low energy levels and learning. Also, caloric intake amount can be controlled by learning; we observed a reduction in meal size in scheduled–high fat diet.</div>