lower-cholesterol-4.matches:
lower cholesterol
Physical and chemical quality of ostrich eggs during the laying season.

Di Meo C, Stanco G, Cutrignelli MI, Castaldo S, Nizza A.

Dipartimento di Scienze Zootecniche ed Ispezione degli Alimenti, Universita degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Italy.

1. Fifteen ostrich females were monitored for a full breeding season. At 30, 70, 110, 150 and 210 d from the beginning of laying, one egg per female was taken to the laboratory to assess its physical and nutritive characteristics. 2. The average length was 15.4 cm, while the width was 12.9 cm. Average shell thickness ranged from 2.20 mm at the equator to 2.24 mm at the small pole. The three principal components of the egg (albumen, yolk and shell) amounted to 57.1, 23.3 and 19.6%, respectively. None of the above variables, despite showing some significant differences between sampling periods, showed a clear trend linked to the laying season. 3. In contrast, the dry matter of the albumen showed a correlation with the sampling period, increasing from 11-1% in the first period to 12.0% in the last. The crude protein content ranged from 47.7 to 48.2%, the fat from 43.8 to 44.2% and the ash between 5.2 and 5.5% of dry matter. 4. The fatty acid composition of the yolk showed the presence of C18:1 (from 122.0 to 136.4 mg/g), followed by C16:0 (from 40.8 to 46.0 mg/g), C18:0 (from 19.2 to 21.2 mg/g) and C18:2 (from 17.1 to 19.6 mg/g). The content of cholesterol/g of yolk was between 10.6 and 10.9 mg. 5. In conclusion, compared with the hen's egg, the ostrich egg has similar chemical and nutritive characteristics, but a higher unsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratio and lower cholesterol content.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12964622&dopt=Abstract lower cholesterol



lower-cholesterol-4.matches:
lower cholesterol
[Benefits of intensive reduction of low density lipoprotein cholesterol]

[Article in Spanish]

Posadas Romero C.

Departamento de Endocrinologia, Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia Ignacio Chavez, INCICH, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Seccion XVI, Tlalpan, 14080 Mexico, D.F. cposadasr yahoo.com

The role of elevated cholesterol in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis is universally recognized. In the last 14 years, the inhibitors of the 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl coenzyme A (HMG CoA) reductase (statins) have become one of the most widely used therapeutic agents to lower cholesterol levels. Individual large clinical trials, as well as a meta-analysis of five of these studies, have clearly demonstrated the effect of statin-induced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) lowering in significantly reducing the risk of coronary events in patients with a history of coronary artery disease (CAD). However, there are a few remaining questions, and the most important uncertainty is to what extent should cholesterol be reduced? The results of three large ongoing trials, specifically designed to answer this question, will be available in about two years. In the meantime, this paper presents a short review of the data derived from epidemiological studies and large intervention trials, suggesting that, in patients at high risk, the lower the LDL-C induced by treatment, the better the chance of reducing the incidence of cardiovascular events.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12966660&dopt=Abstract lower cholesterol



lower-cholesterol-4.matches:
lower cholesterol
Effect of structure and form on the ability of plant sterols to inhibit cholesterol absorption in hamsters.

Meijer GW, Bressers MA, de Groot WA, Rudrum M.

Unilever Health Institute and Fat Technology and Oil Processing Group, Unilever Research, Vlaardingen, The Netherlands. gert.meijer unilever.com

We investigated the effect of three types of plant sterols (4-desmethylsterols, 4,4'-dimethylsterols, and pentacyclic triterpene alcohols) in three forms (free, esterified with FA, or with phenolic acids) on cholesterol absorption. Plant sterol fractions derived from soybean (99% 4-desmethylsterols), rice bran (70% 4,4'-dimethylsterols), or shea nut (89% pentacyclic triterpene alcohols) were fed to male hamsters (n = 20/group) as free sterols or esterified with FA or phenolic acids (cinnamic or ferulic). Cholesterol absorption was measured after 5-8.5 (mean, 7) wk by a dual-isotope technique. Soybean sterol intake significantly reduced cholesterol absorption efficiency (23%) and plasma total cholesterol (11%). Rice bran sterols tended to lower cholesterol absorption efficiency by 7% and plasma total cholesterol by 5%, whereas shea nut sterols had no effect. In hamsters, dietary 4-desmethylsterols were more effective than 4,4'-dimethylsterols in lowering cholesterol absorption and levels of cholesterol in blood. Pentacyclic triterpene alcohols had no effect on the absorption of cholesterol or on its level in blood. Esterification with FA did not impair the ability of 4-desmethylsterols and 4,4'-dimethylsterols to inhibit cholesterol absorption, whereas esterification with phenolic acids reduced this ability. This study supports the use of 4-desmethylsterols, esterified with FA to increase solubility, as the most effective cholesterol-lowering plant sterols in the diet.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=14506834&dopt=Abstract lower cholesterol



lower-cholesterol-4.matches:
lower cholesterol
Cholesterol-induced modulated phase in phospholipid membranes.

Karmakar S, Raghunathan VA.

Raman Research Institute, Bangalore 560 080, India. sanat rri.res.in

We report the observation of a cholesterol-induced modulated phase (Pbeta) in dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine bilayers. It occurs below the main transition of the lipid at cholesterol concentrations of around 15 to 20 mol % and is distinct from the ripple (Pbeta') phase found in between the main and pretransitions at lower cholesterol concentrations. An electron density map of this phase, constructed from x-ray diffraction data from oriented multilayers, shows that the bilayers in this phase have a one-dimensional periodic height modulation with an amplitude of about 2.5 A. A partial phase diagram of the system deduced from diffraction data is in broad agreement with earlier studies.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=14525216&dopt=Abstract lower cholesterol



lower-cholesterol-4.matches:
lower cholesterol
Efficacy of dietary aloe vera supplementation on hepatic cholesterol and oxidative status in aged rats.

Lim BO, Seong NS, Choue RW, Kim JD, Lee HY, Kim SY, Yu BP, Jeon TI, Park DK.

Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, 1 Hoeki-Dong, Dongdaemoon-Ku, Korea. beongou khu.ac.kr

In the current study, we show the anti-oxidative and hypocholesterol effects of aloe vera in the liver. Male specific pathogen-free (SPF) Fischer 344 rats were randomly assigned to one of four groups: Group A (control) was fed test chow without aloe supplementation; Group B was fed a diet containing a 1% (per weight basis) freeze-dried aloe filet; Group C was fed a diet containing a 1% (per weight basis) charcoal-processed, freeze-dried aloe filet; and Group D was fed a diet containing a charcoal-processed freeze-dried, whole leaf aloe (0.02% per weight basis) in the drinking water. Our results show that a life-long intake of aloe had superior anti-oxidative action against lipid peroxidation in vivo, as indicated by reduced levels of hepatic phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide. Additional anti-oxidative action was evidenced by enhanced superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activity in groups B and C. Furthermore, our study revealed that hepatic cholesterol significantly increased in the control group during aging in contrast to the aloe-supplemented groups, which showed approximately 30% lower cholesterol levels, thereby an effective hypocholesteremic efficacy. In this report, we suggest that life-long dietary aloe supplementation suppresses free radical-induced oxidative damage and age-related increases in hepatic cholesterol.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=14598919&dopt=Abstract lower cholesterol



lower-cholesterol-12.matches:
lower cholesterol
Blood cholesterol and apolipoprotein B levels in relation to intakes of animal and plant proteins in US adults.

Smit E, Nieto FJ, Crespo CJ.

Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. esmit jhsph.edu

Few studies have examined the association between specific sources of protein and blood lipids in a national sample of adults. We examined this relationship in a sample of adults 20 years and older who participated in phase 1 (1988-91) of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a representative sample of the United States non-institutionalized population. After excluding those participants who reported having been told they had high blood cholesterol concentrations, the final sample size was 6228. Mean intakes of different sources of proteins, as a percentage of total protein, were compared in quartiles of blood lipids. Intakes were adjusted for age, sex and race. Additional adjustments were made for other dietary variables, recall day, BMI, smoking, and income. We observed a lower percentage meat, fish and poultry (MFP) protein intake, including a lower percentage of beef and pork protein, among persons in the lowest quartile of serum total cholesterol and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) concentrations than among persons in the higher quartiles. The percentage of plant protein intake was higher in the lowest quartile than in the highest quartile of serum cholesterol. We also observed a higher percentage of fruit protein intake with lower serum cholesterol and ApoB concentrations. We conclude that in this cross-sectional sample, consumption of MFP proteins was consistently higher among persons with higher cholesterol concentrations while consumption of plant proteins was consistently higher among persons with lower cholesterol concentrations. Our findings support the importance of assessing intake of specific protein sources, especially in studies that address dietary intake in relation to blood lipids.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10655966&dopt=Abstract lower cholesterol



lower-cholesterol-4.matches:
lower cholesterol
Effect of darglitazone on glucose clearance and lipid metabolism in obese cats.

Hoenig M, Ferguson DC.

Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of darglitazone, a compound of the thiazolidinedione class, on glucose clearance and lipid metabolism in obese cats. ANIMALS: 18 obese and 4 lean adult neutered female cats. PROCEDURE: IV glucose tolerance tests with measurements of glucose, insulin, and nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations were performed before and 42 days after daily administration of darglitazone (9 obese cats) or placebo (9 obese and 4 lean cats). Additionally, cholesterol, triglyceride, leptin, and glycosylated hemoglobin concentrations were measured. RESULTS: Darglitazone-treated cats had significantly lower cholesterol, triglyceride, and leptin concentrations, compared with placebo-treated obese cats. A significant decrease in the area under the curve for NEFAs, glucose, and insulin during an i.v. glucose tolerance test was seen in darglitazone-treated cats. The drug was well tolerated. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The response of obese cats to darglitazone was similar to the response to thiazolidinediones in obese humans and rodents Darglitazone was effective in improving insulin sensitivity and glucose and lipid metabolism in obese cats.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=14620778&dopt=Abstract lower cholesterol



lower-cholesterol-4.matches:
lower cholesterol
Preparation and mass spectrometry of 14 pure and 18O(2)-labeled oxidation products from the phytosterols beta-sitosterol and stigmasterol.

Johannes C, Lorenz RL.

Institute for Prophylaxis of Cardiovascular Diseases, University of Munich, Pettenkofer Str. 9, 80336 Munich, Germany.

To lower cholesterol, phytosterols are currently introduced as food additives, where they may become oxidized. In addition, specific biological effects of oxyphytosterols are suggested by the recent molecular clarification of the phytosterol storage disease as a dysfunctional mutation of an active sterol reexporter potentially regulated by oxidized phytosterols. We therefore studied the hydroxybenzotriazole-mediated PbO(2)-driven oxidation of phytosterols and compared it to the oxidation of cholesterol. We prepared, identified, and purified standards of 14 oxidation products of two major phytosterols. The gas chromatographic mass spectrometric characteristics of the 7alpha- and 7beta-hydroxy-, 5alpha,6alpha-epoxy, 5beta,6beta-epoxy, 7keto-, 3beta,5alpha,6beta-trihydroxy-, 3keto-, and 7-dehydro-derivatives of beta-sitosterol and stigmasterol are presented. The method also provided a convenient access to prepare 18O-labeled oxyphytosterols of high chemical and isotopic purity and can easily be extended to further phytosterols and -stanols. This enables the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of oxyphytosterols and the study of their biological effects.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=14715290&dopt=Abstract lower cholesterol



lower-cholesterol-4.matches:
lower cholesterol
Angiotensin converting anzyme (ACE) activity in porcine ocular tissue: effects of diet and ACE inhibitors.

Geng L, Persson K, Nilsson SF.

Department of Medicine and Care, Division of Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Science, Linkoping Universitet, Linkoping, Sweden.

The aim of the present experiments was to determine angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity in different parts of the porcine eye, and to examine whether an atherogenic diet influenced ACE activity. Female mini-pigs were fed a standard diet or a diet with high cholesterol to produce atherosclerosis. The animals were killed by an overdose of pentobarbital, and the eyes were enucleated and dissected into iris, ciliary body, retina, and choroid. Crude tissue homogenates were used for determination of ACE activity, which was done with a radioenzymatic assay. In pigs fed a normal diet, basal ACE activity was 18.1 +/- 1.6, 13.6 +/- 1.9, 4.4 +/- 0.6, and 44.7 +/- 8.5 units/mg for iris, ciliary body, retina, and choroid, respectively. The ACE activities in ocular tissues from the pigs that had been fed an atherogenic diet were not significantly different. Nor was the ACE activity in the abdominal aorta and serum significantly different between the two groups. In both groups, the ACE inhibitors captopril and enalaprilat, caused a significant inhibition of the ACE activity in the choroid and ciliary body, with enalaprilat being more potent. In the retina, ACE activity was inhibited significantly only in the group fed a normal diet, whereas ACE activity in the iris was not significantly inhibited in either group. We did not find any differences in ACE activity between pigs fed a normal diet and pigs fed an atherogenic diet, which is in disagreement with previous studies that showed an increased ACE activity in aorta from atherosclerotic mini-pigs. The reason for this discrepancy is not clear, but lower cholesterol levels are one possibility.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=14733716&dopt=Abstract lower cholesterol



lower-cholesterol-5.matches:
lower cholesterol
Improvement of Endothelial Function by HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors.

Wassmann S, Nickenig G.

Endothelial dysfunction is the early and crucial state of atherosclerosis that is associated with a poor prognosis. Mechanistically, endothelial dysfunction is caused by reduced nitric oxide bioactivity. HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) effectively lower cholesterol plasma levels and profoundly decrease the cardiovascular risk of hypercholesterolemic patients. It is well established that statins improve endothelial dysfunction in those patients. The underlying mechanisms are less clear. It is thought that pleiotrophic, cholesterol-independent effects of statins such as increase of nitric oxide bioactivity and reduction of oxidative stress may contribute to the vasoprotective effects of statins. Therefore, it is speculated that statins, at least in part, improve endothelial function independent of plasma cholesterol concentrations and may thereby exert beneficial clinical effects. This notion of statins as general atheroprotective drugs has been underlined by in vitro experiments, animal studies and small clinical trials. However, large-scale clinical intervention studies are needed to confirm a positive influence of statins on endothelial dysfunction and cardiac event rates in normochlesterolemic patients. (c) 2002 Prous Science. All rights reserved.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12677213&dopt=Abstract lower cholesterol