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

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]