Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) is a
methionine metabolism problem that causes a variety of inflammatory illnesses. Oxidative stress is among the processes thought to be involved in the pathophysiology of the damage produced by HHcy. HHcy is likely to involve the dysfunction of several organs, such as the kidney, liver, or gut, which are currently poorly understood. Nuts are regarded as an important part of a balanced diet since they include
protein, good
fatty acids, and critical nutrients. The aim of this work was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and
antioxidant effects of cashew nuts in HHcy induced by oral
methionine administration for 30 days, and to examine the possible pathways involved. In HHcy rats, cashew nuts (100 mg/kg orally, daily) were able to counteract clinical biochemical changes, oxidative and nitrosative stress, reduced
antioxidant enzyme levels, lipid peroxidation, proinflammatory
cytokine release, histological tissue
injuries, and apoptosis in the kidney, colon, and liver, possibly by the modulation of the
antioxidant nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 NRF-2 and inflammatory nuclear factor
NF-kB pathways. Thus, the results suggest that the consumption of cashew nuts may be beneficial for the treatment of inflammatory conditions associated with HHcy.