Plasma cholesterol-lowering activity of dietary dihydrocholesterol in hypercholesterolemia hamsters.

OBJECTIVE: Cholesterol analogs have been used to treat hypercholesterolemia. The present study was to examine the effect of dihydrocholesterol (DC) on plasma total cholesterol (TC) compared with that of ß-sitosterol (SI) in hamsters fed a high cholesterol diet. METHODS AND RESULTS: Forty-five male hamsters were randomly divided into 6 groups, fed either a non-cholesterol diet (NCD) or one of five high-cholesterol diets without addition of DC and SI (HCD) or with addition of 0.2% DC (DA), 0.3% DC (DB), 0.2% SI (SA), and 0.3% SI (SB), respectively, for 6 weeks. Results showed that DC added into diet at a dose of 0.2% could reduce plasma TC by 21%, comparable to that of SI (19%). At a higher dose of 0.3%, DC reduced plasma TC by 15%, less effective than SI (32%). Both DC and SI could increase the excretion of fecal sterols, however, DC was more effective in increasing the excretion of neutral sterols but it was less effective in increasing the excretion of acidic sterols compared with SI. Results on the incorporation of sterols in micellar solutions clearly demonstrated both DC and SI could displace the cholesterol from micelles with the former being more effective than the latter. CONCLUSION: DC was equally effective in reducing plasma cholesterol as SI at a low dose. Plasma TC-lowering activity of DC was mediated by inhibiting the cholesterol absorption and increasing the fecal sterol excretion.

Mineral compositions in breast milk of healthy Chinese lactating women in urban areas and its associated factors.

BACKGROUND: Optimal mineral intakes are important for infant growth and development. However, data on mineral compositions of breast milk in Chinese women are scarce, and most were acquired before 1990. The objectives of this study were three-fold: (1) to investigate the mineral compositions of Chinese healthy mothers' breast milk in different lactation stages; (2) to explore correlations among mineral concentrations in breast milk; and (3) to explore the associated factors affecting mineral compositions in breast milk. METHODS: The inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to analyze mineral concentrations in breast-milk of 444 healthy lactating women from three cities in China. A questionnaire was used to survey socio-demographic characteristics and pregnancy history. Food intakes by lactating women were measured using both food frequency questionnaire and one cycle of 24-hour dietary recall. RESULTS: Mineral compositions of breast milk varied in different regions. Concentrations of most minerals were higher in the first one or two months of lactation, and then decreased with time, except for magnesium and iron. Inter-mineral correlations existed among several minerals. The calcium-to-phosphorus ratio was above 2:1 in each lactation stage. Women with caesarean section had higher concentration of iodine in the transitional milk (349.9 µg/kg) compared to women with natural delivery (237.5 µg/kg, P < 0.001). Dietary mineral intakes, supplements, food intake frequencies in the recent 6 months, maternal age and maternal BMI did not show significant correlations with concentrations of milk minerals (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Milk minerals decreased with time, and changed most rapidly in the first one or two months of lactation. Caesarean section might affect the iodine level in transitional milk.

Nutritional status of breast-fed and non-exclusively breast-fed infants from birth to age 5 months in 8 Chinese cities.

This study aimed to assess the nutritional status of infants aged 0 to 5 months by different feeding approaches. A cross-sectional study on infant nutrition was performed in eight cities in China. A total of 622 infants from birth to 2 months of age and 456 infants from 3 months to 5 months of age were included in this study. Mix-fed infants received breast milk and complementary foods from birth to 2 months of age. Approximately 38.2% of mix-fed infants received excessive vitamin A, and 15.6% of infants exceeded the tolerable upper intake levels (ULs) of zinc. For artificially fed infants who received only complementary foods, approximately 20% and 12.5% infants received inadequate dietary vitamin A and zinc intakes, respectively. The vitamin A and zinc intakes of half of the infants exceeded the ULs. Results showed that the usual intake distribution of the infants from 3 months to 5 months of age were similar to that of the infants from birth to 2 months of age. The common vitamin A and zinc intakes were also severely imbalanced. In addition, higher disease prevalence and lower Z scores of length-forage, weight-for-age, and weight-for-length were found in artificially fed infants and mix-fed infants compared with those in breast-fed infants. In conclusion, the usual nutrient intakes were adequate for the majority of Chinese infants, except for an important number of infants at risk for imbalance of vitamin A and zinc intakes.

Bitter gourd inhibits the development of obesity-associated fatty liver in C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet.

Bitter gourd (BG) is a popular fruit in Asia with numerous well-known medicinal uses, including as an antidiabetic. In the current study, we aimed to explore the effects of BG on mitochondrial function during the development of obesity-associated fatty liver. C57BL/6 mice were divided into 4 experimental groups: mice fed a normal diet (control; included for reference only), mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD), and mice fed an HFD supplemented with freeze-dried BG powder through daily gavage at doses of 0.5 (HFD+0.5BG) and 5 (HFD+5BG) g/kg, respectively. After 16 wk, mice in the HFD+5BG group showed less body and tissue weight gain and less hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia compared with those in the HFD group (P < 0.05). In both HFD+0.5BG and HFD+5BG groups, serum interleukin-6 concentration was lower than that in the HFD group (P < 0.02). The serum C-reactive protein concentration was lower in the HFD+5BG group compared with the HFD group (P < 0.04). An analysis of liver tissue revealed lower liver triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations in both HFD+0.5BG and HFD+5BG groups than in the HFD group (P < 0.01). The HFD+5BG group had less activation of the sterol regulatory element binding protein/fatty acid synthase (SREBP-1/FAS) pathway, greater superoxide dismutase activity, and less total protein and mitochondrial protein oxidation than did the HFD group (P < 0.05). Mitochondrial complex I, II, III, and V activity was greater in the HFD+0.5BG group than in the HFD group (P < 0.03). The HFD+5BG group only had greater complex V activity compared with the HFD group (P < 0.05). Mitochondrial dynamics regulators, including dynamin related protein 1 (DRP1) and mitofusin 1 (MFN1), as well as proapoptotic protein expression levels were restored by BG treatment (P < 0.02). Taken together, our results suggest that BG prevents inflammation and oxidative stress, modulates mitochondrial activity, suppresses apoptosis activation, and inhibits lipid accumulation during the development of fatty liver.

Mitochondrial dysfunction in obesity-associated nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: the protective effects of pomegranate with its active component punicalagin.

AIMS: Punicalagin (PU) is one of the major ellagitannins found in the pomegranate (Punica granatum), which is a popular fruit with several health benefits. So far, no studies have evaluated the effects of PU on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Our work aims at studying the effect of PU-enriched pomegranate extract (PE) on high fat diet (HFD)-induced NAFLD. RESULTS: PE administration at a dosage of 150 mg/kg/day significantly inhibited HFD-induced hyperlipidemia and hepatic lipid deposition. As major contributors to NAFLD, increased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukins 1, 4, and 6 as well as augmented oxidative stress in hepatocytes followed by nuclear factor (erythroid-derived-2)-like 2 (Nrf2) activation were normalized through PE supplementation. In addition, PE treatment reduced uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) expression, restored ATP content, suppressed mitochondrial protein oxidation, and improved mitochondrial complex activity in the liver. In contrast, mitochondrial content was not affected despite increased peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) and elevated expression of genes related to mitochondrial beta-oxidation after PE treatment. Finally, PU was identified as the predominant active component of PE with regard to the lowering of triglyceride and cholesterol content in HepG2 cells, and both PU- and PE-protected cells from palmitate induced mitochondrial dysfunction and insulin resistance. INNOVATION: Our work presents the beneficial effects of PE on obesity-associated NAFLD and multiple risk factors. PU was proposed to be the major active component. CONCLUSIONS: By promoting mitochondrial function, eliminating oxidative stress and inflammation, PU may be a useful nutrient for the treatment of NAFLD.

Immunomodulatory effects of dietary supplementation with a milk-based wolfberry formulation in healthy elderly: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Wolfberry (fruit of Lycium barbarum) has been prized for many years in China for its immunomodulatory property and its high specific antioxidant content. However, clear clinical evidence demonstrating the effect of wolfberry dietary supplementation is still lacking. After our earlier report showing that a proprietary milk-based wolfberry formulation (Lacto-Wolfberry) enhances in vivo antigen-specific adaptive immune responses in aged mice, the present study aimed at demonstrating the effect of dietary Lacto-Wolfberry supplementation on immune functions in the elderly, especially vaccine response known to decline with aging. A 3-month randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study was conducted on 150 healthy community-dwelling Chinese elderly (65-70 years old) supplemented with Lacto-Wolfberry or placebo (13.7 grams/day). Immune response to influenza vaccine was assessed in the study, along with inflammatory and physical status. No serious adverse reactions were reported during the trial, neither symptoms of influenza-like infection. No changes in body weight and blood pressure, blood chemistry or cells composition, as well as autoantibodies levels were observed. The subjects receiving Lacto-Wolfberry had significantly higher postvaccination serum influenza-specific immunoglobulin G levels and seroconversion rate, between days 30 and 90, compared with the placebo group. The postvaccination positive rate was greater in the Lacto-Wolfberry group compared to the placebo group, but did not reach statistical significance. Lacto-Wolfberry supplementation had no significant effect on delayed-type hypersensitivity response and inflammatory markers. In conclusion, long-term dietary supplementation with Lacto-Wolfberry in elderly subjects enhances their capacity to respond to antigenic challenge without overaffecting their immune system, supporting a contribution to reinforcing immune defense in this population.

Effect of oral L-arginine supplementation on blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies suggest that L-arginine, an amino acid and a substrate of nitric oxide synthase, may have blood pressure (BP)-lowering effect. Because some studies were performed with limited number of patients with hypertension and therefore limited statistical power with sometimes inconsistent results, we aimed to examine the effect of oral L-arginine supplementation on BP by conducting a meta-analysis of randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials. METHODS: PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and the ClinicalTrials.gov databases were searched through June 2011 to identify randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of oral L-arginine supplementation on BP in humans. We also reviewed reference lists of obtained articles. Either a fixed-effects or, in the presence of heterogeneity, a random-effects model was used to calculate the combined treatment effect. RESULTS: We included 11 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials involving 387 participants with oral L-arginine intervention ranging from 4 to 24 g/d. Compared with placebo, L-arginine intervention significantly lowered systolic BP by 5.39 mm Hg (95% CI -8.54 to -2.25, P = .001) and diastolic BP by 2.66 mm Hg (95% CI -3.77 to -1.54, P < .001). Sensitivity analyses restricted to trials with a duration of 4 weeks or longer and to trials in which participants did not use antihypertensive medications yielded similar results. Meta-regression analysis suggested an inverse, though insignificant (P = .13), relation between baseline systolic BP and net change in systolic BP. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis provides further evidence that oral L-arginine supplementation significantly lowers both systolic and diastolic BP.

Goji berry effects on macular characteristics and plasma antioxidant levels.

PURPOSE: Goji berry (Lycium barbarum L.) is purported to benefit vision because of its high antioxidant (especially zeaxanthin) content, although this effect has not been demonstrated in high-quality human studies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of daily supplementation with a proprietary milk-based formulation of goji berry, Lacto-Wolfberry (LWB), on macular characteristics and plasma zeaxanthin and antioxidant capacity levels in elderly subjects. METHODS: This was a double-masked, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in healthy elderly subjects (range, 65 to 70 years) receiving 13.7 g/d of LWB (n = 75) or placebo (n = 75) for 90 days. Subjects underwent direct ophthalmic examination to assess pigmentation and soft drusen count in the macula and a blood draw to measure plasma zeaxanthin level and total antioxidant capacity. RESULTS: The placebo group demonstrated hypopigmentation and soft drusen accumulation in the macula, whereas the LWB group remained stable. Both plasma zeaxanthin level and antioxidant capacity increased significantly in the LWB group, by 26% and 57%, respectively, but did not change in the placebo group. No product-related adverse events were reported in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, daily dietary supplementation with goji berry for 90 days increases plasma zeaxanthin and antioxidant levels as well as protects from hypopigmentation and soft drusen accumulation in the macula of elderly subjects. However, the mechanism of action is unclear, given the lack of relationship between change in plasma zeaxanthin and change in macular characteristics.

A milk-based wolfberry preparation prevents prenatal stress-induced cognitive impairment of offspring rats, and inhibits oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction in vitro.

Lycium barbarum (Fructus Lycii, Wolfberry, or Gouqi) belongs to the Solanaceae. The red-colored fruits of L. barbarum have been used for a long time as an ingredient in Chinese cuisine and brewing, and also in traditional Chinese herbal medicine for improving health. However, its effects on cognitive function have not been well studied. In the present study, prevention of a milk-based wolfberry preparation (WP) on cognitive dysfunction was tested in a prenatal stress model with rats and the antioxidant mechanism was tested by in vitro experiments. We found that prenatal stress caused a significant decrease in cognitive function (Morris water maze test) in female offspring. Pretreatment of the mother rats with WP significantly prevented the prenatal stress-induced cognitive dysfunction. In vitro studies showed that WP dose-dependently scavenged hydroxyl and superoxide radicals (determined by an electron spin resonance spectrometric assay), and inhibited FeCl(2)/ascorbic acid-induced dysfunction in brain tissue and tissue mitochondria, including increases in reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation and decreases in the activities of complex I, complex II, and glutamate cysteine ligase. These results suggest that dietary supplementation with WP may be an effective strategy for preventing the brain oxidative mitochondrial damage and cognitive dysfunction associated with prenatal stress.

Enhanced bioavailability of zeaxanthin in a milk-based formulation of wolfberry (Gou Qi Zi; Fructus barbarum L.).

The carotenoid zeaxanthin is concentrated within the macula. Increased macular zeaxanthin is suggested to lower the risk of age-related macular degeneration. The small red berry, wolfberry (Fructus barbarum L.; Gou Qi Zi and Kei Tze), is one of the richest natural sources of zeaxanthin. However, carotenoid bioavailability is low, and food-based products with enhanced bioavailability are of interest. The present study investigated zeaxanthin bioavailability from three wolfberry formulations. Berries were homogenised in hot (80 degrees C) water, warm (40 degrees C) skimmed milk and hot (80 degrees C) skimmed milk, with freeze drying of each preparation into a powdered form. A zeaxanthin-standardised dose (15 mg) of each was consumed, in randomised order, together with a standardised breakfast by twelve healthy, consenting subjects in a cross-over trial, with a 3-5-week washout period between treatments. Blood samples were taken via a venous cannula immediately before (fasting) and 2, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 10 h post-ingestion. Zeaxanthin concentration in the triacylglycerol-rich lipoprotein fraction of plasma was measured by HPLC. Results showed that triacylglycerol-rich lipoprotein zeaxanthin peaked at 6 h post-ingestion for all formulations. Zeaxanthin bioavailability from the hot milk formulation was significantly higher (P < 0.001) than from the others. Mean area under the curve (n 12) results were 9.73 (sem 2.45), 3.24 (sem 0.72) and 3.14 (sem 1.09) nmol x h/l for the hot milk, warm milk and hot water formulations, respectively. Results showed clearly that homogenisation of wolfberry in hot skimmed milk results in a formulation that has a 3-fold enhanced bioavailability of zeaxanthin compared with both the 'classical' hot water and warm skimmed milk treatment of the berries.