Cholesterol-Lowering and Antioxidant Effects of Pork-Liver Protein Hydrolysate in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty Rats.

In this study, we investigated the effects of a porcine liver protein hydrolysate (PLH) diet on lipid metabolism in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats, a model of type II diabetes. OLETF rats (20-wk-old males) were pair-fed with either a PLH diet containing 20% PLH or a casein diet for 14 wk. Dietary PLH significantly lowered serum cholesterol and phospholipid concentrations, mainly by decreasing low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein fractions. Fecal cholesterol was significantly increased in the PLH diet group; however, the total bile acid concentration in the feces was not significantly different between the groups. In addition, the PLH diet significantly decreased serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substance concentrations. These results suggest that dietary PLH exerts hyperlipidemic and antioxidant effects, indicating that it is a novel functional food ingredient.

Global thrombosis test for assessing thrombotic status and efficacy of antithrombotic diet and other conditions.

Because of the high mortality from myocardial infarction and stroke, there is a great demand for finding novel methods of diagnosis, prevention and treatment of these diseases. Most of the current tests measure important determinants of thrombosis such as platelet function, coagulation and fibrinolysis in isolation; therefore, a global test measuring the actual thrombotic status would be more useful in clinical conditions. We obtained considerable experience by using the global thrombosis test, which determines the actual thrombotic status by taking into account the measured platelet reactivity, coagulation and fibrinolytic activities. In animal experiments, we found significant correlation between the ex vivo global thrombosis test measurements and the in vivo thrombotic status. The published evidence for the benefit of an antithrombotic diet with regular physical exercise is also described.

Effects of Collagen Peptide Administration on Visceral Fat Content in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Mice.

Collagen peptides (CPs) are bioactive molecules that have beneficial effects on bone metabolism and against joint disorders. In the present study, we investigated the effect of CP supplementation on visceral fat mass and plasma lipid concentrations in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice. Male ddY mice were fed a normal diet or HFD for 3 wk, and assigned to N or NCP groups and to F or FCP groups, respectively. The NCP and FCP group mice were administered experimental diets containing 25 mg/g CPs for 3 wk further. During the experimental period, CP supplementation affected neither the food consumption nor the body weight of the mice. No significant differences in the plasma triglyceride, non-esterified fatty acid, and cholesterol concentrations were observed among all the groups. In contrast, the weight of testicular fat mass was significantly decreased in the FCP group as compared with that in the F group. The expression levels of leptin and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α genes in the adipose tissue correlated with the visceral fat mass, although these differences were not significant. These findings indicate that CPs may have a reducing effect on visceral fat content but are less effective in reducing body weight.

Effects of administration of glucosamine and chicken cartilage hydrolysate on rheumatoid arthritis in SKG mice.

Supplementation with cartilage constituents, such as glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate and collagen peptide, are believed to reduce pain associated with joint disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Here, we administered daily, 10 mg glucosamine or 100 mg chicken cartilage hydrolysate (CH) to SKG/Jcl mice, a model for spontaneous RA, for 5 weeks and evaluated their effects on RA development. In SKG mice, the administration of glucosamine had no reducing effect on RA score but suppressed the expression of Mmp13 and Col3a1 genes in articular cartilage. In contrast, administration of CH suppressed the RA score and levels of plasma interleukin-6 and interleukin-17 to half, although the differences were not significant. Mice administered with glucosamine also showed decreased bone strength of femur and these adverse effects could be eliminated when glucosamine was used in conjunction with CH. These results suggest that CH and glucosamine exert effects on different aspects in SKG mice.

Antithrombotic papain-hydrolyzed peptides isolated from pork meat.

INTRODUCTION: Atherothrombotic disease such as coronary artery disease and stroke is one of major causes of death. Platelets play important role in these arterial diseases. Suppression of platelet activity by materials may decrease incidence of the disease. The present study aimed to examine the peptides from pork meat with antithrombotic activity. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Peptide fraction or hydrolyzate of defatted pork meat by papain was used as the starting material. Antithrombotic activity of the fraction was assessed by a share-induced platelet function test in vitro (haemostatometry) using non-anticoagulated rat blood, followed by a helium-neon laser-induced mouse carotid artery thrombosis test in vivo. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The starting peptide fraction with mean molecular weight 2500 showed antithrombotic activity in vivo after oral administration to mice at 210 mg/kg body weight. The fraction with mean molecular weight 2517 further purified by cation exchange chromatography showed antithrombotic activity after oral administration at 70 mg/kg body weight. Antithrombotic activity of the purified peptide fraction was equivalent to that of aspirin at 50 mg/kg body weight. It is possible this pork peptide could be beneficial to prevent atherothrombosis.

Chicken breast attenuates high-intensity-exercise-induced decrease in rat sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ handling.

This study was conducted to determine whether dietary chicken-breast extract (CBEX), a rich source of histidine-containing dipeptides, could modify exercise-induced changes in sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) function. After 5 weeks of dietary CBEX, SR Ca2+-handling ability was examined in the vastus lateralis muscles of rats subjected to high-intensity running for 2.5 min. Dietary CBEX caused an approximately 15% and 45% increase (p<.01) in muscle carnosine and anserine concentrations, respectively. In resting muscles, depressions in SR Ca2+-ATPase activity were evoked by dietary CBEX without concomitant changes in SR Ca2+ uptake and release rates. The data confirm that high-intensity exercise depresses SR Ca2+ handling. In spite of the same run time, SR Ca2+ handling was reduced to a lesser degree in muscles of CBEX-containing-chow-fed rats than in standard-chow-fed rats (p<.05). These results suggest that dietary CBEX might attenuate deteriorations in SR Ca2+-handling ability that occur with high-intensity exercise.