Amaranth Oil Increased Fecal Excretion of Bile Acid but Had No Effect in Reducing Plasma Cholesterol in Hamsters

Hamsters were fed for 4 weeks on four different diets: control (C) (balanced diet containing 20 % corn oil as the lipid source), hypercholesterolemic (H) (identical to C but containing 12 % coconut oil, 8 % corn oil and 0.1 % cholesterol as the lipid source), amaranth oil (A) (identical to H without corn oil but with amaranth oil), and squalene (S) (identical to H but admixed with squalene in the ratio found in amaranth oil). There were no significant differences in lipid profile, and in the cholesterol excreted in the animals’ feces from amaranth oil (A) and squalene (S) groups. Fecal excretion of bile acids was greater in the amaranth oil (A) and squalene groups (S) as compared to the other groups. The scores of steatosis and parenchymal inflammation observed in the amaranth oil (A) and squalene groups (S) were superior to the ones observed in the other groups. Our findings demonstrated that amaranth oil, and its component squalene, increased the excretion of bile acids but did not have a hypocholesterolemic effect in hamsters fed on a diet containing high amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol.     

Phenolics from purple grape, apple, purple grape juice and apple juice prevent early atherosclerosis induced by an atherogenic diet in hamsters

Knowledge of the effects of processing on the antioxidant properties of fruits is limited. We investigated the processing of apple (A) and purple grape (PG) and their juices (AJ and PGJ) in hypercholesterolemic hamsters. Five groups of eight hamsters each were fed an atherogenic diet for 12 wk. They received daily by gavage either 7.14 mL/(kg x day) of mashed A or PG, or the same volume of AJ or PGJ, or water as control. Plasma cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, liver superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were efficiently reduced by the fruits and their juices compared with controls, whereas plasma antioxidant capacity was increased and aortic fatty streak area was decreased from 48 to 93%. For each of these parameters, the efficacy was PGJ > PG > AJ > A. The results show for the first time that long-term consumption of antioxidants supplied by apple and purple grape, especially phenolic compounds, prevents the development of atherosclerosis in hamsters, and that processing can have a major impact on the potential health benefits of a product. The underlying mechanism is related mainly to increased antioxidant status and improved serum lipid profile.     

Cholesterol-lowering effect of whole lupin (Lupinus albus) seed and its protein isolate

This study describes the hypocholesterolaemic effect of whole lupin and its protein in hamsters. The diets were: casein (control group HC), lupin protein isolate (group HPI) and whole lupin seed (group HWS). Diets from HPI and HWS promoted a significant reduction of total cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol in the hamsters’ plasma as compared with HC. The true digestibility of HPI and HC groups were similar and differed significantly from the HWS one, which in turn showed a significant difference in total sterol excretion as compared to the former groups. Histological analysis of the liver revealed that animals fed on HPI and HWS diets presented a low level of steatosis (level 1) as compared to the ones fed on HC diet (level 4). Our findings demonstrate that protein isolate from Lupinus albus from Brazil has a metabolic effect on endogenous cholesterol metabolism and a protector effect on development of hepatic steatosis.     

Choosing hamsters but not rats as a model for studying plasma cholesterol‐lowering activity of functional foods

Rats and hamsters are commonly used rodents to test the efficacy of cholesterol‐lowering functional foods. In general, a diet containing 1% cholesterol for rats whereas a diet containing 0.1% cholesterol for hamsters is used to induce the hypercholesterolemia. The present study was carried out to compare hamsters with rats as a hypercholesterolemia model. Golden Syrian hamsters and Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups and fed one of the four diets containing 0–0.9% cholesterol. Results demonstrated that serum total cholesterol (TC) in hamsters was raised 73–81% higher than that in rats fed the same cholesterol diets. Unlike rats in which HDL‐C accounted very little for serum TC, the lipoprotein profile in hamsters was closer to that in humans. We investigated interaction of higher cholesterol diets with 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutary‐CoA (HMG‐CoA) reductase, low‐density lipoprotein receptor (LDL‐R) and cholesterol‐7α‐hydroxylase (CYP7A1), sterol regulatory element binding protein‐2 (SREBP‐2), and liver X receptor (LXR‐α). Results showed hamsters and rats metabolized cholesterol differently. In view that hamsters synthesize and excrete cholesterol and bile acids in a manner similar to that in humans, it is concluded that hamsters but not rats shall be chosen as a model to study efficacy of cholesterol‐lowering functional foods.     

Altered Lipid Response in Hamsters Fed <Emphasis Type="Italic">cis</Emphasis>-9,<Emphasis Type="Italic">trans</Emphasis>-11+<Emphasis Type="Italic">trans</Emphasis>-8,<Emphasis Type="Italic">cis</Emphasis>-10 Conjugated Linoleic Acid Mixture

The objective of the present study was to compare the effects of cis-9,trans-11 + trans-8,cis-10 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) mixture to those of cis-9,trans-11 + trans-10,cis-12 CLA mixture and linoleic acid (LA) on lipoprotein profile, hepatic lipids, body composition and digestibility of dietary fat in hamsters (n = 17) fed diets containing 2% of experimental fat (w/w) for 28 days. The cis-9,trans-11 + trans-10,cis-12 CLA mixture showed higher LDL cholesterol concentrations than LA and the cis-9,trans-11 + trans-8,cis-10 CLA mixture. The cis-9,trans-11 + trans-8,cis-10 CLA mixture induced similar plasma LDL cholesterol and hepatic lipid concentrations, and coefficient of digestibility as LA, indicating no effect of the trans-8,cis-10 CLA isomer on these lipid parameters. On the other hand, the cis-9,trans-11 + trans-8,cis-10 CLA mixture induced higher plasma VLDL cholesterol and triglycerides than LA and the cis-9,trans-11 + trans-10,cis-12 CLA mixture. The cis-9,trans-11 + trans-8,cis-10 CLA mixture also induced the highest plasma glucose concentrations compared with the two other groups, indicating an impairment of glycemic control. No differences in body composition were noted between the three groups. The present results thus show that the cis-9,trans-11 + trans-8,cis-10 CLA mixture can deteriorate plasma VLDL cholesterol and triglycerides in hamsters, possibly due to an increased flux of glucose.     

A moderate consumption of Côtes du Rhône red wines affects the progression of aortic lesions,and reduces oxidative stress and p22<Superscript>phox</Superscript>NADPH oxidase activation in an experimental model of diet-induced atherosclerosis,according to the vinification process

Côtes du Rhône red wines prepared from both different types of grape and processing were tested in hamsters receiving an atherogenic diet for 12 weeks and a daily gavage with 12% ethanol, red wines from vinification by flash release (GRE FD, SYR FD and BLEND FD), by tanisage (BLEND TAN), by traditional vinification (BLEND), or water as control. Except BLEND TAN, consumption of wines lowered plasma total and LDL-cholesterol. Aortic lipid deposits were reduced by ethanol (30%), wines (54% on average) or BLEND TAN (65%). Cardiac production of superoxide anion decreased from 20% (BLEND and BLEND TAN) to 33% (SYR FD and BLEND FD). The expression of NAD(P)H oxidase decreased by 44% (SYR FD), 26% (BLEND), 47% (BLEND FD) and 44% (BLEND TAN). Except ethanol and GRE FD, wines increased uricemia by 15% on average. These findings indicate that chronic consumption of red wine has potential beneficial effects to prevent the development of atherosclerosis. Prevention of NAD(P)H oxidase induction and preservation of aortic lipids oxidation likely contribute to this effect.     

Polysaccharides from the green alga Ulva rigida improve the antioxidant status and prevent fatty streak lesions in the high cholesterol fed hamster,an animal model of nutritionally-induced atherosclerosis

We investigated the effects of Ulva in hypercholesterolemic hamsters, before and after processing. Three groups of 12 hamsters were fed a high cholesterol diet for 12 wk (Control) or a high cholesterol diet where cellulose has been replaced for an equivalent fibre weight from Ulva or processed Ulva. Plasma cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol and specially triglycerides were reduced by Ulva. Liver glutathione peroxidase activity was increased and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were efficiently reduced by dietary treatments compared with controls, whereas plasma antioxidant capacity was increased and aortic fatty streak area was decreased by 70%. The results show for the first time that chronic consumption of polysaccharides supplied by Ulva prevent the fall of antioxidant defences and the development of atherosclerosis in hamsters. The underlying mechanism is related mainly to increased antioxidant status although improvement of the serum lipid profile was not ruled out.