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Dietary Whole Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) Modulates Plasma Lipid and Cytokine Profiles, and Prevents Liver Toxicity in Response to Cholesterol‐Feeding in the JCR‐LA‐cp Corpulent Rat Model
Author(s) -
MacDougall Colleen,
GottschallPass Katherine,
Neto Catherine,
Hurta Robert
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.702.6
Subject(s) - cranberry juice , cholesterol , vaccinium , chemistry , pharmacology , toxicity , lipoprotein , high density lipoprotein , low density lipoprotein , antioxidant , food science , endocrinology , medicine , biochemistry , biology , botany , urinary system
The antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory properties of natural products like cranberry ( Vaccinium macrocarpon ) offer a novel approach to treating heart disease. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of dietary whole cranberry on parameters of atherosclerosis using the obese JCR: LA‐cp rat model. Four diet groups were assigned: control (CON), 1% added cholesterol (CHOL), 3% added cranberry (CRAN), and cranberry plus cranberry (CRAN + CHOL). Results show animals fed cholesterol have higher plasma low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels (2 Way ANOVA; p = 0.015) and a lower high density lipoprotein (HDL) to LDL ratio (p = 0.003), while animals fed cranberry have higher HDL: LDL (p = 0.047). Furthermore, cranberry lowers levels of the anti‐inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)‐10, indicating these animals require less endogenous anti‐inflammatory protection. Tests of liver function indicate that cranberry is hepato‐protective: plasma AST levels, a chemical indicator of liver toxicity, were higher in animals fed cholesterol (p = 0.003), while cranberry reversed this effect. A similar trend was observed with another liver enzyme ALT. These results indicate that dietary cranberry, incorporated at physiologically relevant concentrations, has both cardio‐ and hepato‐ protective properties. [Funded by CIHR, PEI Health Research Program, and AIF through ACOA]