Nutr Res Pract.  2014 Apr;8(2):165-171.

Beneficial effects of natural Jeju groundwaters on lipid metabolism in high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats

• Wang YC
• Lu JM
• Jin HZ
• Ma AN
• Zhang JY
• Gong N
• Xiao Q
• Zhu B
• Lv YF
• Yu N
• Zhang WD
• Wang YX

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Groundwater is believed to possess many beneficial effects due to its natural source of various minerals. In this study, we examined the effects of natural Jeju groundwater S1 (Samdasoo(TM)), S2 and S3 pumped up from different locations of Jeju Island, Korea, along with local tap water, on body weight gain, serum lipids and lipoproteins, and liver histopathology in high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats.
MATERIALS/METHODS
Rats were randomly and equally divided into 6 groups. Different water samples were supplied to the hyperlipidemic rats as their daily drinking water and the widely-used anti-hyperlipidemic drug simvastatin was used as a positive control. Body weight, serum lipids and lipoproteins were measured weekly. Liver weight, liver index and liver histopathology were examined after the execution of the rats.
RESULTS
After drinking Jeju groundwaters for two months, S2 but not S3 significantly reduced weight growth and serum triglycerides levels and increased high density lipoprotein-C (HDL-C) without affecting total cholesterol or LDL-C. S1 and particularly S2 significantly reduced the severity of liver hypertrophy and steatosis. All Groundwaters had much higher contents of vanadium (S3>S2>S1>>tap water) whereas S1 and S2 but not S3 markedly blocked autoxidation of ferrous ions.
CONCLUSION
Jeju Groundwater S1 and particularly S2 exhibit protective effects against hyperlipidemia and fatty liver and hypothesize that the beneficial effect of Jeju Groundwaters may be contributed from blockade of autoxidation of ferrous ions rather than their high contents of vanadium.

Keyword

Jeju groundwaters; fatty liver; hyperlipidemia; vanadium; ferrous ion autoxidation

MeSH Terms

Animals
Body Weight
Cholesterol
Drinking
Drinking Water
Fatty Liver
Groundwater*
Hyperlipidemias
Hypertrophy
Ions
Korea
Lipid Metabolism*
Lipoproteins
Liver
Minerals
Rats*
Simvastatin
Triglycerides
Vanadium
Water
Cholesterol
Drinking Water
Ions
Lipoproteins
Minerals
Simvastatin
Triglycerides
Vanadium
Water

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Effects of simvastatin (10 mg/kg/day, A), Jeju groundwater S1 (Samdasoo™), S2 and S3 (B) on serum triglycerides levels in high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats. One group of rats with normal diet and tap water were also employed as the normal diet control. Data are presented as mean + S.E.M. (n = 8 in each group). a and b denote statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) compared with the normal chow diet + tap water group and high-fat diet + tap water group, respectively.

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  Fig. 2 Effects of simvastatin (10 mg/kg/day, A), Jeju groundwater S1 (Samdasoo™), S2 and S3 (B) on serum total cholesterol levels in high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats. One group of rats with normal diet and tap water were also employed as the normal diet control. Data are presented as mean + S.E.M. (n = 8 in each group). a and b denote statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) compared with the normal chow diet + tap water group and high-fat diet + tap water group, respectively.

• 

  Fig. 3 Effects of simvastatin (10 mg/kg/day), Jeju groundwater S1 (Samdasoo™), S2 and S3 on serum high density lipoprotein (HDL-C) levels (A) and low density lipoprotein (LDL-C) levels (B) in high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats. One group of rats with normal diet and tap water were employed as the normal diet control. Data are presented as mean + S.E.M. (n = 8 in each group). a and b denote statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) compared with the normal chow diet + tap water group and high-fat diet + tap water group, respectively.

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  Fig. 4 Effects of simvastatin (10 mg/kg/day, A), Jeju groundwater S1 (Samdasoo™), S2 and S3 (B) on body weight in high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats. One group of rats with normal diet and tap water were also employed as the normal diet control. Data are presented as mean + S.E.M. (n = 8 in each group). a and b denote statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) compared with the normal chow diet + tap water group and high-fat diet + tap water group, respectively.

• 

  Fig. 5 Effects of simvastatin (10 mg/kg/day), Jeju groundwater S1 (Samdasoo™), S2 and S3 on liver weight (A) and Hepatosomatic index (B) in high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats. One group of rats with normal diet and tap water were also employed as the normal diet control. Hepatosomatic index was calculated as liver weight/body weight × 100. Data are presented as mean + S.E.M. (n = 8 in each group). a and b denote statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) compared with the normal chow diet + tap water group and high-fat diet + tap water group, respectively.

• 

  Fig. 6 Effects of simvastatin (10 mg/kg/day), Jeju groundwater S1 (Samdasoo™), S2 and S3 on liver fat accumulation in high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats. One group of rats with normal diet and tap water were also employed as the normal diet control. (A) Representative photomicrographs from each group of rats. Slides were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and photos were taken in 1:400. (B) Liver fatty vacuoles from each group. Fat vacuoles were blindly counted with the assistance of a computer program. Data are presented as mean + S.E.M. (n = 8 in each group). a and b denote statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) compared with the normal chow diet + tap water group and high-fat diet + tap water group, respectively.

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  Fig. 7 Effects of Jeju groundwater S1 (Samdasoo™), S2 and S3 on the autoxidation of ferrous ammonium sulfate (A) and radical (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, DPPH) scavenging activity (B). Data are presented as mean + S.E.M. (n = 6 in each group). a denotes statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) compared with the tap water group.

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