Accu check 3

MS was induced as described previously (15 (link)). Rats received 10%-fructose solution in the drinking water for eight weeks. The control animals received filtered water during the same period. Rats were weighed (g) three times a week, and the chow was weighed (g) every day. The water was refilled, the consumed volume (mL) was measured every day, and the results by cage were pooled weekly. The glucose levels (mg/dL) were measured at the end of experiments with a digital glucometer (Accu-Check III, Boehringer Mannheim, Germany). After four weeks, the animals submitted to high fructose diet (HFD; N=12) or normal diet (water; N=12) were randomly subdivided into additional experimental groups: with n-3 supplementation (n-3; N=12 each); without n-3 supplementation (vehicle; N=12 each). For randomization, the animals were initially allocated into two major groups, with or without HFD, after determining the mean body weight of each cage with four rats. The allocation of animals into the NTG and/or n-3 groups was performed by alternating the cages in the following order, considering the body weigh means: (I) water + saline; (II) water + n-3; (III) water + NTG; (IV) water + n-3 + NTG, and the same was carried out for HFD groups. NTG-injected rats were maintained separated from control animals. The general experimental design and group distribution are depicted in Figure 1.