Efficacy of dietary aloe vera supplementation on hepatic cholesterol and oxidative status in aged rats.
In the current study, we show the anti-oxidative and hypocholesterol effects of aloe vera in the liver. Male specific pathogen-free (SPF) Fischer 344 rats were randomly assigned to one of four groups: Group A (control) was fed test chow without aloe supplementation; Group B was fed a diet containing a 1% (per weight basis) freeze-dried aloe filet; Group C was fed a diet containing a 1% (per weight basis) charcoal-processed, freeze-dried aloe filet; and Group D was fed a diet containing a charcoal-processed freeze-dried, whole leaf aloe (0.02% per weight basis) in the drinking water. Our results show that a life-long intake of aloe had superior anti-oxidative action against lipid peroxidation in vivo, as indicated by reduced levels of hepatic phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide. Additional anti-oxidative action was evidenced by enhanced superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activity in groups B and C. Furthermore, our study revealed that hepatic cholesterol significantly increased in the control group during aging in contrast to the aloe-supplemented groups, which showed approximately 30% lower cholesterol levels, thereby an effective hypocholesteremic efficacy. In this report, we suggest that life-long dietary aloe supplementation suppresses free radical-induced oxidative damage and age-related increases in hepatic cholesterol.
Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, 1 Hoeki-Dong, Dongdaemoon-Ku, Korea. beongou@khu.ac.kr
Beong Ou
BO
Lim
Nak Sul
NS
Seong
Ryo Won
RW
Choue
Jong Dai
JD
Kim
Hyeon Yong
HY
Lee
Sun Yeou
SY
Kim
Byung Pal
BP
Yu
Tae Il
TI
Jeon
Dong Ki
DK
Park
D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D000504:Aloe / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000032:analysis; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D010936:Plant Extracts; C057590:phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide; D002784:Cholesterol; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase