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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Albany, California » Western Regional Research Center » Healthy Processed Foods Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #234104
Title: Effects of flavonol-rich diet on select cardiovascular parameters in a Gold Syrian Hamster model

Author
item KALGAONKAR, SWATI - UC DAVIS, DAVIS, CA
item GROSS, HEIDRUM - UC DAVIS, DAVIS, CA
item Yokoyama, Wallace - Wally
item KEEN, CARL - UC DAVIS, DAVIS, CA

Submitted to: Journal of Medicinal Food
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/29/2009
Publication Date: 2/5/2010
Citation: Kalgaonkar, S., Gross, H., Yokoyama, W.H., Keen, C. 2010. Effects of flavonol-rich diet on select cardiovascular parameters in a Gold Syrian Hamster model. Journal of Medicinal Food. 13(1): 108-115. doi:10.1089/jmf.2008.0295.

Interpretive Summary: This study demonstrates that phytochemicals are not only antioxidants but have bioactive properties that may be organ specific suggesting that there are receptors for these compounds. Cranberries or their phytochemical component, rutin, were fed to hamsters on high fat diets low in vitamin E. Hamsters fed the cranberry and rutin diets had lower heart rate and blood pressure and the rutin diet also reduced abdominal fat accumulation. Cranberry and rutin also reduced aortic cholesteryl ester deposits, a condition that progresses to atherosclerosis. The rutin diet also reduced fasting blood glucose. These results demonstrate the antioxidative and tissue specific protective effects of rutin and cranberry.

Technical Abstract: We investigated the effects of a flavonoid-rich diet supplemented with cranberry on blood pressure and cholesterol ester levels in hypercholesterolemic Golden Syrian hamsters. Animals were fed one of four diets: high fat high cholesterol (HFHC) diet, HFHC with 2% cranberry concentrate powder (HFHC+CE), HFHC with 0.1% rutin (HFHC+Rutin), or HFHC with 30 mg/kg Vitamin E (HFHC+Vit.E) for either 12 or 20 weeks. Heart rate and blood pressure increased in animals fed HFHC and HFHC+Vit.E diets, but were maintained in animals fed HFHC+CE and HFHC+Rutin diets. Mesenteric and total abdominal fat were significantly lower in animals consuming the HFHC+Rutin diet. Plasma high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) to very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) and plasma HDL to low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) ratios were significantly higher in animals consuming HFHC+Vit.E diet. Aortic cholesteryl ester levels were significantly lower in animals consuming HFHC+CE, HFHC+Rutin, and HFHC+Vit.E diets at 20 wks. Fasting blood glucose levels and glucose clearance were significantly better in animals consuming HFHC+Rutin diet. Results obtained from this study support the concept that the chronic consumption of flavonoid-rich diets is beneficial with respect to cardiovascular health and that cranberries might possibly help prevent or delay the occurrence of cardiovascular events.