M. V. Ivanochko, T. R. Dmytriv, I. M. Yatskiv,
M. M. Bayliak, V. I. Lushchak*

Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology,
Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine;
*e-mail: volodymyr.lushchak@cnu.edu.ua

Received: 05 July 2025; Revised: 29 September 2025;
Accepted: 28 November 2025; Available on-line: 23 December 2025

Broccoli sprouts (BS) are rich in bioactive compounds with reported antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, a cafeteria diet (CD) was used as a model to study diet-induced obesity in animals. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of dietary BS supplementation on metabolic parameters in middle-aged male mice subjected to a cafeteria diet (CD) containing such additional components (w/w) as sweet peanuts (28%), milk chocolate (28%) and chocolate cracker (11%). Mice were fed on CD over 20 weeks, after that, blood was collected, mice were sacrificed, liver and adipose tissue were collected and weighed. The levels of glucose, triacylglycerides (TAG), and cholesterol were determined with a diagnostic kit (Reagent, Dnipro, Ukraine), that of IL-1β – by ELISA. Paraoxonase (PON) activity in blood was determined by monitoring p-nitrophenol formation. Mice fed on the CD alone exhibited higher caloric intake without significant body mass gain, but demonstrated elevated liver mass, hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and decreased PON activity relative to those fed on the standard diet. Inclusion of BS (2.5, 5 or 10% w/w) in the CD prevented the rise in TAG level and preserved PON activity. However, BS in higher doses (5 and 10%) increased visceral fat accumulation and further elevated blood glucose levels. In contrast, BS supplementation in a standard diet reduced circulating TAG and inflammatory markers without affecting adipose tissue distribution. These findings indicate a dual role of BS in metabolic regulation: while beneficial in reducing oxidative and inflammatory markers, BS may aggravate visceral adiposity and glycemic imbalance in an obesogenic context.

Keywords: broccoli sprouts, cafeteria diet, inflammation, metabolic health, paraoxonase, triacylglycerol, visceral fat