Probiotics determine hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects in hyperlipidemic hamsters

Scope Hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, and the oxidative stress are among the known risk factors of atherosclerosis. Our aim was to assess the hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects of a probiotic mix ( L actobacillus acidophilus and B ifidobacterium animalis) in hyperlipidemic hamsters ( HL ). Methods and results Male G olden S yrian hamsters developed hyperlipidemia after 21 weeks of fat diet. For the last 5 weeks of experiment, ten HL were treated with the probiotic mix ( HLP ), ten received water ( HL ). Ten animals received standard chow ( N ). Increase of plasma total cholesterol ( TC ), triglycerides ( TG ), phospholipids ( PL ), oxidized LDL , glucose, of 4‐hydroxynonenal (4‐ HNE ) in plasma, liver, and myocardium, and of intestinal N iemann P ick C 1 like 1 ( NPC 1 L 1) and microsomal TG transfer protein ( MTTP ) expression was observed in HL versus N . The probiotic mix decreased plasma TC , TG , PL , oxidized LDL , 4‐ HNE , and glucose levels and increased paraoxonase‐1 activity, decreased NPC 1 L 1 and MTTP protein expression compared to HL . In HLP liver, a significant reduction of TC , TG , and fatty acids was observed. PL increased and 4‐ HNE levels decreased in the liver and myocardium of HLP versus HL . Conclusion Our data support the administration of probiotics to humans because of their hypolipidemic (through decreasing intestinal NPC 1 L 1 and MTTP ) and antioxidant effects (stimulating HDL ‐associated paraoxonase‐1).