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Cranberries, but not blueberries, prolong survival in spontaneously hypertensive stroke‐prone rats
Author(s) -
Shaughnessy Kevin Stewart,
Slemmer Jennifer,
Scanlan Adam,
GottschallPass Katherine,
SweeneyNixon marva
Publication year - 2009
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.23.1_supplement.563.3
Subject(s) - medicine , stroke (engine) , oxidative stress , endocrinology , blood pressure , lipid peroxidation , mechanical engineering , engineering
We have shown that feeding cranberries ( Vaccinium. macrocarpon , CB) prolongs survival in spontaneously hypertensive stroke‐prone rats (SHRSP). Here, we evaluated the effect of feeding blueberries ( V. angustifolium , BB) on survival and evaluated possible mechanisms. SHRSP were fed control diet or a diet enriched with 3% CB or 3% BB until the onset of stroke. Weight, feed intake, and systolic blood pressure (BP) were monitored weekly; urinary F2‐isoprostanes, a marker of oxidative stress, were measured at the end of the study. BB lowered BP by 6‐10% at weeks 5‐7, whereas CB lowered BP by 10% only at week 5. BB did not prolong survival, whereas CB increased survival by 40%. Rats with high BP at wks 4 and 5 were more likely to demonstrate early stroke symptoms (p<0.01). Feed efficiency over the first 5 wks also was positively correlated with days to stroke onset (p=0.018, control; p=0.052, CB). Weight at wk 5 was positively correlated with days to stroke in CB (p=0.038), but not in control‐fed SHRSP (p=0.41). In CB‐fed SHRSP, but not control rats, F2 isoprostanes were negatively correlated with BP at wk 5 (p=0.034), and positively correlated with days to stroke (p=0.027). These results suggest that effects on BP and weight/ feed efficiency can contribute to prolongation of stroke onset in SHRSP. Since F2‐isoprostanes are markers of lipid peroxidation, it is surprisingly that their levels promote survival. (Funded by AIF and NSERC).