• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.197-202
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• 2002

We compared the radical scavenging activity of flavonoids and their antioxidant effects on erythrocyte Na leak, platelet aggregation and TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substance) production, using Sprague Dawley rats. The concentrations of flavonoids needed for scavenging radicals by 50% ($SC_{50}$) in 0.1mM DPPH (2,2 Diphenyl 1-picryl hydrazyl) were: Quercetin, 7.4/$\mu$M; Catechin, 10.6$\mu$M; Morin, 22$\mu$M; Hesperidin, 400uM; and Naringin, 3.95mM. Morin completed its antioxidant activity in 2 minutes, while catechin, hesperidin and naringin had slow but long lasting antioxidant activity. Whole blood platelet aggregation, when incubated with quercetin or catechin, was significantly decreased (P<0.05) compared with the control. Sodium leak in intact erythrocytes was significantly lower when incubated with quercetin, compared with other flavonoids (P<0.05). Morin, hesperidin and naringin somewhat increased Na leak in intact erythrocytes. Sodium leak in erythrocytes treated with phenazine methosulfate (PMS) was increased overall, but was not affected by flavonoids. Intracelluar Na and K were not affected by treatment with PMS. TBARS production in platelet rich plasma (PRP) was significantly lower (P<0.05) than the control when incubated with quercetin or hesperidin. PMS treatment caused an increase in TBARS production regardless of flavonoids. In the present study antioxidant effects of flavonoids were not well correlated with their radical scavenging activities, although quercetin, which showed the strongest radical scavenging activity, had the greatest antioxidant effect.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.298-304
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• 2007

This study was conducted to investigate the hypocholesterolemic effect of simvastatin (30 mg/kg BW) and antioxidant effect of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10, 15 mg/kg BW) or green tea (5%) on erythrocyte Na leak, platelet aggregation and TBARS production in hypercholesterolemic rats treated with statin. Food efficiency ratio (FER, ADG/ADFI) was decreased in statin group and increased in green tea group, and the difference between these two groups was significant (p<0.05). Plasma total cholesterol was somewhat increased in all groups with statin compared with control. Plasma triglyceride was decreased in statin group and increased in groups of CoQ10 and green tea, and the difference between groups of statin and green tea was significant (p<0.05). Liver total cholesterol was not different between the control and statin group, but was significantly decreased in the group with green tea compared with other groups (p<0.05). Liver triglyceride was decreased in groups of statin and green tea compared with the control, and the difference between groups of the control and green tea was significant (p<0.05). Platelet aggregation of both the initial slope and the maximum was not significantly different, but the group with green tea tended to be higher in initial slope and lower in the maximum. Intracellular Na of group with green tea was significantly higher than the control or statin group (p<0.05). Na leak in intact cells was significantly decreased in the statin group compared with the control (p<0.05). Na leak in AAPH treated cells was also significantly reduced in the statin group compared with groups of the control and CoQ10 (p<0.05). TBARS production in platelet rich plasma was significantly decreased in the groups with CoQ10 and green tea compared with the control and statin groups (p<0.05). TBARS of liver was significantly decreased in the group with green tea compared with the statin group (p<0.05). In the present study, even a high dose of statin did not show a cholesterol lowering effect, therefore depletion of CoQ10 following statin treatment in rats is not clear. More clinical studies are needed for therapeutic use of CoQ10 as an antioxidant in prevention of degenerative diseases independent of statin therapy.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.200-205
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• 2007

The effects of taurine on plasma and liver cholesterol, erythrocyte ouabain sensitive Na efflux and platelet aggregation were examined in Sprague Dawley rats fed control or 0.5% cholesterol with 0.2% cholate diet. Plasma and liver levels of total cholesterol were increased significantly (p<0.05) in rats fed cholesterol diet compared to the control, and taurine significantly decreased the elevated plasma level of cholesterol in rats fed cholesterol diet (p<0.05). HDL-cholesterol was decreased in groups fed the cholesterol diet regardless of taurine supplementation and the difference between groups with and without cholesterol was significant (p<0.01). Plasma triglyceride was decreased and liver triglyceride was increased both significantly (p<0.05) in rats fed cholesterol compared to the control. Plasma and liver triglyceride in rats fed taurine was decreased significantly compared to the control (p<0.05). Intracellular Na tended to be lower in rats fed cholesterol or taurine and higher in rats fed cholesterol plus taurine compared to the control. Na efflux through Na-K ATPase and the passive leak of Na was somewhat reduced in rats fed cholesterol or taurine and was augmented in rats fed cholesterol plus taurine compared to the control, which showed a similar trend to the intracellular Na. Taurine supplementation caused a suppression of Na efflux in groups fed control diet and restored the suppressed Na efflux in groups fed cholesterol. Platelet aggregation was significantly decreased in the group fed taurine compared to the control (p<0.05) and the group fed cholesterol plus taurine was also a little lower in aggregation than the group fed cholesterol. Microscopic examination showed that taurine prevented fatty liver in rats fed cholesterol diet. Taurine known for stimulating Na-K ATPase in some cell types rather decreased erythrocyte ouabain sensitive Na-K ATPase in the present study. Taurine had hypolipidemic and hypocholesterolemic effects and inhibited platelet aggregation which may be favorable for prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.211-217
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• 2008

This study was purposed to investigate the effect of onion or beet on plasma and liver lipids, erythrocyte Na efflux channels and platelet aggregation in simvastatin (SIM) treated hypercholesterolemic rats. Forty Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups and fed 0.5% cholesterol based diets containing 2 mg/kg BW simvastatin or simvastatin with 5% onion or beet powder. Plasma total cholesterol was significantly increased in SIM group compared with the control (p<0.01), and the elevated plasma total cholesterol of SIM group was significantly decreased in SIM-onion and SIM-beet groups (p<0.05). HDL-cholesterol in SIM-beet group was significantly increased compared with other groups (p<0.05). Platelet aggregation in both the maximum and initial slope was significantly decreased in SIM group compared with SIM-onion group (p<0.05). Na-K ATPase was significantly decreased in SIM group compared with the control, SIM-onion and SIM-beet groups (p<0.05). Na passive leak was significantly increased in all groups treated with SIM compared with the control (p<0.05). The total Na efflux was decreased in SIM group and increased in SIM-onion group and the difference between these two groups was significant (p<0.05). There was no difference in intracellular Na among groups. In present study, simvastatin, a HMG CoA reductase inhibitor at dose of 2mg/kg BW/day rather increased plasma total cholesterol in rats, inferring that the action mechanism of simvastatin on cholesterol metabolism differ between rat and human. Onion and beet play favorable roles in cardiovascular system by restoring the reduced Na efflux through Na-K ATPase and Na-K cotransport in SIM treated rats.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.381-390
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• 2008

Present study was conducted to investigate the effects of exercise and cholesterol diet on plasma and liver lipids, platelet aggregation, erythrocyte Na efflux and liver index such as GOT and GPT using Sprague Dawley rats. Forty rats were divided into four groups and fed control or 0.5% cholesterol diet with and without treadmill for six weeks. The final body weight of group fed cholesterol diet with exercise was somewhat decreased compared with group fed cholesterol diet without exercise. L.W/B.W ratio was significantly increased in groups fed cholesterol diet (p < 0.01), but exercise tended to decrease this ratio. Plasma total cholesterol was significantly increased and HDL-cholesterol was decreased in groups fed cholesterol diet (p < 0.01). Plasma triglyceride was significantly decreased in groups fed cholesterol diet compared with groups fed control diet (p < 0.01). Plasma triglyceride of groups with exercise was significantly decreased compared with their non exercising counterparts regardless diet (p < 0.05). Liver total cholesterol and triglyceride was significantly increased in groups fed cholesterol diet (p < 0.01), but exercise did not affect on these levels. Na-K ATPase was somewhat decreased in groups fed cholesterol diet, and exercise tended to recover the reduced Na-K ATPase. Na passive transport was significantly decreased in group fed control diet without exercise and significantly increased in group fed cholesterol diet with exercise, there were significant differences between groups (p < 0.05). There were no differences in total Na efflux and intracellular Na among groups, and total Na efflux was not correlated with intracellular Na. Hematocrit was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in group fed cholesterol diet without exercise compared with other groups. Platelet aggregation in the initial slope and the maximum was increased in groups fed cholesterol diet, but not statistically significant. Exercise especially increased the initial slope of aggregation. Plasma GOT and GPT was significantly increased in groups fed cholesterol diet (p < 0.01), and exercise in group fed cholesterol diet significantly decreased both GOT and GPT compared with the non exercising counterpart (p < 0.01). This study showed that cholesterol diet increases plasma and liver lipids and GOT and GPT, and exercise improves plasma and liver lipid profile and liver index of GOT and GPT preventing fatty liver.