# The Therapeutic Potential of Orange Juice in Cardiac Remodeling: A Metabolomics Approach

## TL;DR

Orange juice may help prevent heart damage by changing metabolism and gut bacteria, offering a potential dietary treatment for heart disease.

## Contribution

This study identifies orange juice as a novel dietary adjuvant that modulates metabolic pathways and gut microbiota to potentially reduce cardiac remodeling.

## Key findings

- Orange juice intake modulates phospholipids, energy metabolism, and endocannabinoid signaling, improving heart function.
- Consumption of orange juice increases gut microbiota diversity and beneficial bacteria linked to better metabolic health.
- Modulation of PE metabolism and PPARα/PPARγ activation by orange juice shows protective effects against cardiac remodeling.

## Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of death worldwide, and the process of cardiac remodeling lies at the core of most of these diseases. Sustained cardiac remodeling almost unavoidably ends in progressive muscle dysfunction, heart failure, and ultimately death. Therefore, in order to attenuate cardiac remodeling and reduce mortality, different therapies have been used, but it is important to identify adjuvant factors that can help to modulate this process. One of these factors is the inclusion of affordable foods in the diet with potential cardioprotective properties. Orange juice intake has been associated with several beneficial metabolic changes, which may influence cardiac remodeling induced by cardiovascular diseases. Current opinion highlights how the metabolites and metabolic pathways modulated by orange juice consumption could potentially attenuate cardiac remodeling. It was observed that orange juice intake significantly modulates phospholipids, energy metabolism, endocannabinoid signaling, amino acids, and gut microbiota diversity, improving insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and metabolic syndrome. Specifically, modulation of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) metabolism and activation of PPARα and PPARγ receptors, associated with improved energy metabolism, mitochondrial function, and oxidative stress, showed protective effects on the heart. Furthermore, orange juice intake positively impacted gut microbiota diversity and led to an increase in beneficial bacterial populations, correlated with improved metabolic syndrome. These findings suggest that orange juice may act as a metabolic modulator, with potential therapeutic implications for cardiac remodeling associated with cardiovascular diseases.