Nutr Res Pract.  2011 Oct;5(5):404-411.

Effects of freeze-dried cranberry powder on serum lipids and inflammatory markers in lipopolysaccharide treated rats fed an atherogenic diet

• Kim MJ
• Ohn J
• Kim JH
• Kwak HK

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of freeze-dried cranberry powder on anti-inflammation and lipid profiles of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated rats fed an atherogenic diet for 6 weeks. Forty Sprague-Dawley male rats (6-weeks-old) were equally divided into the following five groups: 1) normal diet group + saline (NC); 2) atherogenic diet + saline (HFC); 3) atherogenic diet + LPS (HL); 4) atherogenic diet with 5% cranberry power + LPS (C5); 5) atherogenic diet with 10% cranberry power + LPS (C10). LPS (0.5 mg/kg) was injected into the abdominal cavities of rats 18 hours prior to sacrifice. At the end of the experimental period, we measured serum lipid profiles as well as levels of serum C-reactive protein (CRP), nitric oxide (NO), and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, and IL-10 as an anti-inflammatory cytokine. The mean serum high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol level in C5 rats was significantly higher than that in NC and HL rats (P < 0.05). The mean serum levels of CRP and IL-1beta were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the cranberry powder groups compared to those in HL rats. Additionally, mean serum IL-6 levels tended to be lower in the cranberry groups than that in the HL group, whereas serum IL-10 and NO showed 29% and 88% higher mean values in the C5 group and 49% and 24% higher in the C10 group than those in the HL group, respectively. These results suggest that freeze-dried cranberry powder may have beneficial effects on cardiovascular diseases by modifying serum lipids and the early inflammatory response.

Keyword

Cranberry powder; atherogenic diet; c-reactive protein (CRP); IL-10; IL-1beta

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Cavity
Animals
C-Reactive Protein
Cardiovascular Diseases
Cytokines
Diet
Diet, Atherogenic
Humans
Interleukin-10
Interleukin-6
Interleukins
Lipoproteins
Male
Nitric Oxide
Rats
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
Vaccinium macrocarpon
C-Reactive Protein
Cytokines
Interleukin-10
Interleukin-6
Interleukins
Lipoproteins
Nitric Oxide
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Experimental design. □normal diet (5% corn oil), ▤atherogenic diet (5% corn oil + 10% lard + 1% cholesterol + 0.5% sodium cholate), ▨atherogenic + 5% cranberry powder diet, ▩atherogenic + 10% cranberry powder diet, ▲ LPS injection NC, normal diet control group; HFC, atherogenic diet control group; HL, atherogenic diet and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injected control group; HL-C5, atherogenic + 5% cranberry powder diet and LPS injected group; HL-C10, atherogenic + 10% cranberry powder diet and LPS injected group

• 

  Fig. 2 Change in body weights of the rats. Values are means.

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