Halophytic Plants as Promising Agents for Alleviating Fructose-Induced Metabolic Syndrome in Rats

Objectives: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a complex and multifactorial disorder characterized by a constellation of metabolic abnormalities, including insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and central obesity, which collectively increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Considering the growing interest in plant-derived bioactive compounds as alternative therapeutic agents, this study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of Suaeda aegyptiaca extract (SAE) and Salsola imbricata extract (SIE), two species from the Amaranthaceae family, compared with the standard antidiabetic drug canagliflozin (CANA), in a rat model of fructose-induced metabolic syndrome. Materials and Methods: A total of 30 male Wistar rats were allocated into five groups: a normal control, a fructose control, and three treatment groups receiving CANA (30 mg/kg/day), SAE (200 mg/kg/day), or SIE (500 mg/kg/day). To evaluate the preventive potential of the extracts, all treatments were administered daily in parallel with the fructose solution throughout the six-week study period. Physiological, biochemical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical markers of hepatic tissue were evaluated to determine treatment efficacy. Results: SAE and SIE exhibited significant prophylactic effects against the development of fructose-induced metabolic syndrome when administered concurrently with fructose. Both extracts effectively attenuated weight gain, hyperglycemia, and hypertension, improved lipid profiles, and reduced elevated liver enzymes, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Both treatments significantly reduced elevated myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels and enhanced glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity, without significantly altering neutrophil activation protein 3 (NAP3), superoxide dismutase (SOD), or catalase (CAT) levels. Histopathological examination demonstrated restoration of near-normal hepatic architecture in the treated groups. These structural improvements were corroborated by immunohistochemical analysis, which revealed that both extracts markedly suppressed the pronounced hepatic expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Conclusions: SAE and SIE demonstrated significant protective effects against fructose-induced metabolic disturbances, likely mediated through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant mechanisms. Their diverse phytochemical profiles may underlie these multifaceted actions, supporting their potential as complementary prophylactic agents for managing metabolic syndrome.