Antiatherosclerotic effects of licorice extract supplementation on hypercholesterolemic patients: increased resistance of LDL to atherogenic modifications, reduced plasma lipid levels, and decreased systolic blood pressure.
OBJECTIVE
We previously demonstrated the beneficial effects of dietary flavonoids derived from the ethanolic extract of licorice root against atherosclerotic lesion development in association with inhibition of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation in atherosclerotic mice. Administration of licorice extract to normolipidemic subjects also inhibited LDL oxidation. In the present study, we extended our investigation to analyze the antiatherogenic effects of licorice-root extract consumption in moderately hypercholesterolemic patients.


METHODS
Supplementation of licorice root extract (0.1 g/d) to patients for 1 mo was followed by an additional 1 mo of placebo consumption.


RESULTS
Licorice consumption 1) reduced patients' plasma susceptibility to oxidation (by 19%); 2) increased resistance of plasma LDL against three major atherogenic modifications: oxidation (by 55%), aggregation (by 28%), and retention, estimated as chondroitin sulfate binding ability (by 25%); 3) reduced plasma cholesterol levels (by 5%), which was due to a 9% reduction in plasma LDL cholesterol levels; and 4) reduced (by 14%) plasma triacylglycerol levels. After the 1 mo of placebo consumption, these parameters reversed toward baseline levels. Licorice extract supplementation also reduced systolic blood pressure by 10%, which was sustained during the placebo consumption.


CONCLUSIONS
Dietary consumption of licorice-root extract by hypercholesterolemic patients may act as a moderate hypocholesterolemic nutrient and a potent antioxidant agent and, hence against cardiovascular disease.
Fuhrman
Bianca
B
Lipid Research Laboratory, Technion Faculty of Medicine, The Rappaport Family Institute for Research in the Medical Sciences and Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
Volkova
Nina
N
Kaplan
Marielle
M
Presser
Dita
D
Attias
Judith
J
Hayek
Tony
T
Aviram
Michael
M
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006035:Glycyrrhiza / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol