Coffee brew intake can prevent the reduction of lens glutathione and ascorbic acid levels in HFD-fed animals.

The lens has high concentrations of glutathione (GSH) and ascorbic acid (AsA) to maintain redox activity and prevent cataract formation, which is the leading cause of visual impairment worldwide. Metabolic syndrome is reported to be linked with a higher risk of age-associated cataract. As it was demonstrated previously that coffee consumption improved high-fat diet (HFD) -induced metabolic symptoms, it was hypothesized that coffee intake could delay the onset of obesity related-cataract; however, the effect of coffee consumption on this type of cataract remains unknown. Four-week-old male C57BL/6JJms SLC mice were divided into two groups and were provided ad libitum access to either a control diet (control groups) or a HFD (HFD groups). The control groups and HFD groups were further divided into three or four subgroups for each experiment. Coffee intake markedly reduced the increase in body weight in a roasting-time and concentration-dependent manner. Coffee consumption also prevented the HFD-induced decrease in the concentration of GSH and AsA, and treatment with pyrocatechol or caffeine also restored the reduction of antioxidant compounds. Plasma cholesterol and triglycerides were significantly higher in HFD groups; however, coffee brew or coffee constituent treatment in the HFD-fed mice group prevented elevation of these levels. Caffeine is a major coffee component and pyrocatechol is generated thought the roasting process. These results revealed that caffeine and pyrocatechol in coffee brew may be the key constituents responsible for preventing the reduction of lens GSH and AsA in HFD-fed animals.