Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) Tohumunun Sıçan Kalp Dokusu Üzerindeki Biyokimyasal ve Moleküler Etkileri

Öz

Oksidatif stres, inflamasyon, endoplazmik retikulum (ER) stresi ve apoptoz, kalp hasarına katkıda bulunan birbirine bağlı faktörlerdir. Chia ( Salvia hispanica L.) tohumu, antioksidan açısından zengin fonksiyonel bir besindir, ancak sağlıklı kalp dokusu üzerindeki moleküler etkileri yeterince tanımlanmamıştır. Bu çalışma, diyet chia tohumunun sıçan kalp dokusu üzerindeki doza bağlı biyokimyasal ve moleküler etkilerini araştırmıştır. Kırk erkek Wistar albino sıçan dört gruba (n = 10) ayrıldı: temel diyetle beslenen sağlıklı bir kontrol grubu ve altı hafta boyunca %5, %10 veya %20 chia tohumu içeren diyetlerle beslenen üç grup. Kalpteki malondialdehit (MDA), indirgenmiş glutatyon (GSH) ve süperoksit dismutaz (SOD) aktivitesi spektrofotometrik olarak ölçüldü. Apoptotik, ER stresi ve inflamasyonla ilgili genlerin ekspresyonu kantitatif gerçek zamanlı PCR ile değerlendirildi (n = 3). Veriler, Tukey testi ile tek yönlü ANOVA kullanılarak analiz edildi. Chia, doza bağlı olarak kardiyak MDA'yı azalttı ve GSH ile SOD aktivitesini artırdı (tüm P < 0,001). Pro-apoptotik genler Bax ve Casp-3 aşağı regüle edildi ve anti-apoptotik Bcl-2 yukarı regüle edildi (P < 0,001). ER stresi genleri Atf6 , Perk , Ire1 ve Chop ile inflamatuar genler Nf-κB , Il1β , Il6 ve Tnf-α'nın tümü önemli ölçüde baskılandı (P < 0,01 ila P < 0,001). Etkiler %20'lik dozda en yüksekti. Diyetle alınan chia tohumu, sıçan kalp dokusunun oksidatif, apoptotik, ER stresi ve inflamatuvar profillerini doza bağlı olarak iyileştirmiştir; bu da chia tohumunun kardiyovasküler sağlıkla ilgili fonksiyonel bir diyet bileşeni olarak potansiyelini desteklemektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Apoptoz
• Endoplazmik retikulum stresi
• Enflamasyon
• Oksidatif stres
• Salvia hispanica

Biochemical and Molecular Effects of Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) Seed on Rat Heart Tissue

Öz

Oxidative stress, inflammation, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and apoptosis are interconnected contributors to cardiac injury. Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) seed is an antioxidant-rich functional food, but its molecular effects on healthy heart tissue are poorly defined. This study investigated the dose-dependent biochemical and molecular effects of dietary chia seed on rat heart tissue. Forty male Wistar albino rats were assigned to four groups (n=10): a healthy control fed a basal diet and three groups fed diets containing 5%, 10%, or 20% chia seed for six weeks. Cardiac malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were measured spectrophotometrically. The expression of apoptosis-, ER stress-, and inflammation-related genes was assessed by quantitative real-time PCR (n=6). Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA with Tukey's test. Chia dose-dependently reduced cardiac MDA and increased GSH and SOD activity (all p< .001). The pro-apoptotic genes Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) and caspase-3 (Casp-3) were downregulated and the anti-apoptotic B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) upregulated (p< .001). The ER stress genes activating transcription factor 6 (Atf6), protein kinase R-like ER kinase (Perk), inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (Ire1), and C/EBP homologous protein (Chop), and the inflammatory genes nuclear factor kappa B (Nf-κB), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (Tnf-α), were all significantly suppressed (p< .001). Effects were greatest at the 20% dose. Dietary chia seed dose-dependently improved the oxidative, apoptotic, ER stress, and inflammatory profiles of rat heart tissue, supporting its potential as a functional dietary component relevant to cardiovascular health.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Apoptosis
• Endoplasmic reticulum stress
• Inflammation
• Oxidative Stress
• Salvia hispanica

Etik Beyan

Atatürk University Animal Experiments Local Ethics Committee (Decision date: February 25, 2026; Decision No: 4; Session: 2026-02).

Teşekkür

The authors thank the staff of the Atatürk University Medical Experimental Application and Research Center (ATADEM) for their technical support.

Kaynakça

1. Abdel-Wahhab, K. G., Mannaa, F. A., Ashry, M., Khaled, D. M., Hassan, L. K., & Gomaa, H. F. (2021). Chenopodium quinoa ethanolic extract ameliorates cyclophosphamide®-induced hepatotoxicity in male rats. Comparative Clinical Pathology, 30(2), 267-276. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-021-03199-z
2. Agarwal, A., Rizwana, Tripathi, A. D., Kumar, T., Sharma, K. P., & Patel, S. K. S. (2023). Nutritional and functional new perspectives and potential health benefits of quinoa and chia seeds. Antioxidants, 12(7), 1413. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox12071413
3. Aktas, Senocak, E., Karaarslan, T., & Bolat, İ. (2026). Cardioprotective effect of Beta-caryophyllene on thioacetamide-induced heart damage in rats. Journal of Laboratory Animal Science and Practices, 6(1), 15-23. https://doi.org/10.62425/jlasp.1771098
4. AlBasher, G., Abdel-Daim, M. M., Almeer, R., Ibrahim, K. A., Hamza, R. Z., Bungau, S., & Aleya, L. (2020). Synergistic antioxidant effects of resveratrol and curcumin against fipronil-triggered oxidative damage in male albino rats. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 27(6), 6505-6514. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-07344-8
5. Alcântara, M. A., de Lima Brito Polari, I., de Albuquerque Meireles, B. R. L., de Lima, A. E. A., da Silva Junior, J. C., de Andrade Vieira, É., Dos Santos, N. A., & de Magalhães Cordeiro, A. M. T. (2019). Effect of the solvent composition on the profile of phenolic compounds extracted from chia seeds. Food Chemistry, 275, 489–496. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.09.133
6. Alhilal, M., Erol, H.S., Yildirim, S., Koc, M., Alhilal, S., Dereli, E., Karaarslan, T., Aktas, Senocak, E., Bozkurt, I., Keles, O.N., & Halici, M.B. (2026). Pomiferin protects against sepsis-associated acute liver and kidney injury via inhibition of NF-κB activation, oxidative stress, and cytochrome-c. Scientific Reports, 16, 9738. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-45186-w
7. Aref, M., FaragAllah, E. M., Goda, N. I. A., Abu-Alghayth, M. H., Abomughaid, M. M., Mahboub, H. H., Alwutayd, K. M., & Elsherbini, H. A. (2024). Chia seeds ameliorate cardiac disease risk factors via alleviating oxidative stress and inflammation in rats fed high-fat diet. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 2940. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-41370-4
8. Ayerza, R., & Coates, W. (2005). Ground chia seed and chia oil effects on plasma lipids and fatty acids in the rat. Nutrition Research, 25(11), 995-1003. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nutres.2005.09.013

9. Ayerza, R., Jr, & Coates, W. (2007). Effect of dietary alpha-linolenic fatty acid derived from chia when fed as ground seed, whole seed and oil on lipid content and fatty acid composition of rat plasma. Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism, 51(1), 27–34. https://doi.org/10.1159/000100818
10. Bolat, M., Çelebi, F., Şengül, E., Çınar, İ., Yıldırım, S., & Bolat, İ. (2025a). Investigation of the protective effect of betacaryophyllene against indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer in rats: In vivo and in vitro study. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg’s Archives of Pharmacology, 398, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00210-025-04269-7
11. Bolat, M., Yilmaz, T. E., Çeğindir, M., Atasever, A., Doğan, T., Yildirim, S., Sağlam, Y. S., Çomakli, S., & Bolat, İ. (2025b). Syringic acid alleviates cadmium-induced neurotoxicity in rats by modulating cellular signaling pathways. International Immunopharmacology, 158, 114816. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intimp.2025.114816
12. Bozkurt, İ., & Halıcı, M. B. (2026). Effects of borage oil on oxidative damage, inflammatory response (IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF- α), and signaling pathways (Bax/Bcl-2 and Caspase-3) in lead acetate–induced nephrotoxicity. Pharmata, 6(1), 10-17. https://doi.org/10.62425/pharmata.1868902
13. Bozkurt, I., Halici, Z., Bahador Zirh, E., & Palabiyik-Yucelik, S. S. (2024). EGCG alleviates ochratoxin a-induced pyroptosis in rat's kidney by inhibiting NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD signaling pathway. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 193, 115006. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2024.115006
14. Cetin, C., Akyol, A., & Ayaz, A. (2026). Potential effects of chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.) on adipose tissue gene expression and obesity indicators in cafeteria diet-fed rats. International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research, 96(1), 46718. https://doi.org/10.31083/IJVNR46718
15. da Silva Marineli, R., Lenquiste, S. A., Moraes, E. A., & Marostica Jr, M. R. (2015). Antioxidant potential of dietary chia seed and oil (Salvia hispanica L.) in diet-induced obese rats. Food Research International, 76, 666–674. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2015.07.039
16. da Silva Marineli, R., Moraes, É. A., Lenquiste, S. A., Godoy, A. T., Eberlin, M. N., & Maróstica Jr, M. R. (2014). Chemical characterization and antioxidant potential of Chilean chia seeds and oil (Salvia hispanica L.). LWT-Food Science and Technology, 59(2), 1304-1310. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2014.04.014
17. da Silva, B. P., Toledo, R. C. L., Mishima, M. D. V., Moreira, M. E. C., Vasconcelos, C. M., Pereira, C. E. R., Favarato, L. S. C., Costa, N. M. B., & Martino, H. S. D. (2019). Effects of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) on oxidative stress and inflammation in ovariectomized adult female Wistar rats. Food & Function, 10(7), 4036–4045. https://doi.org/10.1039/c9fo00862d
18. Dhouibi, R., Affes, H., Ben Salem, M., Charfi, S., Marekchi, R., Hammami, S., Zeghal, K., & Ksouda, K. (2021). Protective effect of Urtica dioica in induced neurobehavioral changes, nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity after chronic exposure to potassium bromate in rats. Environmental Pollution, 287, 117657. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117657
19. Elsheshtawy, H. M., Elabd, H., Mahboub, H. H., Abdelwarith, A. A., Younis, E. M., Assayed, M. E., Sakr, E., Elshopakey, G.E., Hamed, H. S., Hossain, F. M. A., Davies, S. J., & Reyad, Y. A. (2025). Ameliorative effects of salvia hispanica seeds against zinc oxide nanoparticles toxicity inducing hemato‐biochemical variables, immune‐oxidative stress, and dna damage in oreochromis niloticus. Aquaculture Research, 2025(1), 9922700. https://doi.org/10.1155/are/9922700
20. Grancieri, M., Martino, H. S. D., & Gonzalez de Mejia, E. (2019). Chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.) as a source of proteins and bioactive peptides with health benefits: A review. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 18(2), 480-499. https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4337.12423
21. Joubert, M. B. V., Ingaramo, P., Oliva, M. E., & D'Alessandro, M. E. (2022). Salvia hispanica L.(chia) seed ameliorates liver injury and oxidative stress by modulating NrF2 and NFκB expression in sucrose-rich diet-fed rats. Food & Function, 13(13), 7333-7345. https://doi.org/10.1039/D2FO00642A
22. Karaarslan, T., Alat, O., Can, I., Aktas, Senocak, E., Gur, C., Bozkurt, I., Alhilal M., & Halici, M. B. (2026). Protocatechuic acid mitigates diazinon-induced lung injury in rats through modulation of oxidative stress, inflammatory, Keap-1/Nrf-2/HO-1 and ER stress-mediated apoptotic pathways. Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences, 29(2), 261-270. https://doi.org/10.22038/ijbms.2025.90102.19424
23. Kaur, H., Shams, R., Dash, K. K., & Dar, A. H. (2023). A comprehensive review of pseudo-cereals: Nutritional profile, phytochemicals constituents and potential health promoting benefits. Applied Food Research, 3(2), 100351. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.afres.2023.100351
24. Kehat, I., & Molkentin, J. D. (2010). Molecular pathways underlying cardiac remodeling during pathophysiological stimulation. Circulation, 122(25), 2727-2735. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.110.942268
25. Khalifa, N. E., Noreldin, A. E., Khafaga, A. F., El-Beskawy, M., Khalifa, E., El-Far, A. H., Fayed, A. A., & Zakaria, A. (2023). Chia seeds oil ameliorate chronic immobilization stress-induced neurodisturbance in rat brains via activation of the antioxidant/anti-inflammatory/antiapoptotic signaling pathways. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 22409. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-49061-w
26. Kulczyński, B., Kobus-Cisowska, J., Taczanowski, M., Kmiecik, D., & Gramza-Michałowska, A. (2019). The chemical composition and nutritional value of chia seeds—Current state of knowledge. Nutrients, 11(6), 1242. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11061242
27. Libby, P. (2012). Inflammation in atherosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, 32(9), 2045–2051. https://doi.org/10.1161/ATVBAHA.108.179705
28. Lien, H. M., Lin, H. T., Huang, S. H., Chen, Y. R., Huang, C. L., Chen, C. C., & Chyau, C. C. (2023). Protective effect of hawthorn fruit extract against high fructose-induced oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress in pancreatic β-cells. Foods, 12(6), 1130. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12061130
29. Livak, K. J., & Schmittgen, T. D. (2001). Analysis of relative gene expression data using real-time quantitative PCR and the 2−ΔΔCT method. Methods, 25(4), 402–408. https://doi.org/10.1006/meth.2001.1262
30. Lowry, O. H., Rosebrough, N. J., Farr, A. L., & Randall, R. J. (1951). Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 193(1), 265–275. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9258(19)52451-6
31. Madamanchi, N. R., & Runge, M. S. (2013). Redox signalling in cardiovascular health and disease. Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 61, 473–501. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2013.04.001
32. Madamanchi, N. R., Vendrov, A., & Runge, M. S. (2005). Oxidative stress and vascular disease. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, 25(1), 29–38. https://doi.org/10.1161/01.ATV.0000150649.39934.13
33. Melo, D., Machado, T. B., & Oliveira, M. B. P. P. (2019). Chia seeds: an ancient grain trending in modern human diets. Food & Function, 10(6), 3068–3089. https://doi.org/10.1039/c9fo00239a
34. Mir, N. A., Riar, C. S., & Singh, S. (2018). Nutritional constituents of pseudo cereals and their potential use in food systems: A review. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 75, 170-180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2018.03.016
35. Montes Chañi, E. M., Pacheco, S. O. S., Martínez, G. A., Freitas, M. R., Ivona, J. G., Ivona, J. A., Craig, W. J., & Pacheco, F. J. (2018). Long-term dietary intake of chia seed is associated with increased bone mineral content and improved hepatic and intestinal morphology in Sprague-Dawley rats. Nutrients, 10(7), 922. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10070922
36. Nandan, A., Koirala, P., Dutt Tripathi, A., Vikranta, U., Shah, K., Gupta, A. J., Agarwal, A., & Nirmal, N. (2024). Nutritional and functional perspectives of pseudocereals. Food Chemistry, 448, 139072. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.139072
37. Placer, Z. A., Cushman, L. L., & Johnson, B. C. (1966). Estimation of product of lipid peroxidation (malonyl dialdehyde) in biochemical systems. Analytical Biochemistry, 16(2), 359–364. https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-2697(66)90167-9
38. Poudyal, H., Panchal, S. K., Waanders, J., Ward, L., & Brown, L. (2012). Lipid redistribution by α-linolenic acid-rich chia seed inhibits stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 and induces cardiac and hepatic protection in diet-induced obese rats. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 23(2), 153–162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnutbio.2010.11.011
39. Rahman, M. J., de Camargo, A. C., & Shahidi, F. (2017). Phenolic and polyphenolic profiles of chia seeds and their in vitro biological activities. Journal of Functional Foods, 35, 622-634. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2017.06.044
40. Satyam, S. M., El-Tanani, M., Ahmed, A. Z., Rizzo, M., Patoulias, D., Kanyana, P. S., Kosuri, K. C., Kumari, R., & Prabhakar, S. (2026). Nutraceutical synergy: Unraveling the protective effects of methyl gallate and chia seed oil in doxorubicin-induced hepatic injury and Bax/Bcl2 imbalance. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 32(20), 1592–1604. https://doi.org/10.2174/0113816128366802250413160625
41. Schreyer, S., Klein, C., Pfeffer, A., Rasińska, J., Stahn, L., Knuth, K., Abuelnor, B., Panzel, A. E. C., Rex, A., Koch, S., Hemmati-Sadeghi, S., & Steiner, B. (2020). Chia seeds as a potential cognitive booster in the APP23 Alzheimer's disease model. Scientific Reports, 10(1), 18215. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-75209-z
42. Sedlak, J., & Lindsay, R. H. (1968). Estimation of total, protein-bound, and nonprotein sulfhydryl groups in tissue with Ellman's reagent. Analytical Biochemistry, 25(1), 192–205. https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-2697(68)90092-4
43. Steven, S., Frenis, K., Oelze, M., Kalinovic, S., Kuntic, M., Bayo Jimenez, M. T., Vujacic-Mirski K., Helmstädter J., Kröller-Schön S., Münzel T., & Daiber, A. (2019). Vascular inflammation and oxidative stress: Major triggers for cardiovascular disease. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2019(1), 7092151. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/7092151
44. Sun, Y., Oberley, L. W., & Li, Y. (1988). A simple method for clinical assay of superoxide dismutase. Clinical Chemistry, 34(3), 497–500. https://doi.org/10.1093/clinchem/34.3.497
45. Sur, E. B., & Karabıyıklı Çiçek, Ş. (2021). Chia tohumunun kimyasal, antioksidan ve antimikrobiyal özellikleri. The Journal of Food, 46(4), 971-979. https://doi.org/10.15237/gida.GD21055
46. Trisnadi, R. A. (2023). Effect of chia seed extract (Salvia hispanica L) on current blood sugar levels and MDA levels. Retos, 50, 826-830. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v50.99237
47. Valko, M., Leibfritz, D., Moncol, J., Cronin, M. T. D, Mazur, M., & Telser, J. (2007). Free radicals and antioxidants in normal physiological functions and human disease. The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, 39(1), 44–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocel.2006.07.001
48. Yurt, M., & Gezer, C. (2018). Chia tohumunun (Salvia hispanica) fonksiyonel özellikleri ve sağlık üzerine etkileri. The Journal of Food, 43(3), 446–460. https://doi.org/10.15237/gida.GD17093