Preventive effects of diets supplemented with sweetie fruits in hypercholesterolemic patients suffering from coronary artery disease.
BACKGROUND
Diets rich in vegetables and fruits prevent development of atherosclerosis.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the preventive effects of diets supplemented with a new kind of citrus fruit-pummelo-grapefruit hybrid in hypercholesterolemic patients suffering from coronary artery disease (CAD).


METHODS
Sixty-six hypercholesterolemic volunteers after coronary bypass surgery ages 47-68 years were randomly divided into two experimental (EG1 and EG2) groups and one control (CG) group, 22 each. The diets of the patients of the experimental groups (EG1 and EG2) were supplemented with one or two peeled sweeties, respectively. A comprehensive clinical investigation of all 66 patients was done. Blood samples were collected before and after the investigation for a wide range of laboratory tests.


RESULTS
A high content of dietary fibers and antioxidant compounds in peeled sweeties was found. After 30 days of the investigation, peeled sweeties-supplemented diets have decreased plasma lipids levels in EG1 and EG2 vs. CG group: (a) total cholesterol (TC)-7.38 vs. 8.08 mmol/L, - 8.7%, and 6.78 vs. 8.08. mmol/L, -16.1%, respectively; (b) low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)-5.65 vs. 6.39 mmol/L, - 1.6%, and 5.04 vs. 6.39 mmol/L, -21.2%, respectively; (c) triglycerides (TG)-2.01 vs. 2.27 mmol/L, -11.5%, and 1.71 vs. 2.27 mmol/L, -24.7%, respectively. In addition, a significant increase in the plasma antioxidant capacity in EG2, and to a lesser degree in EG1 groups, was observed. No changes in the studied indices in the patients of the CG were detected.


CONCLUSIONS
Peeled sweeties have high contents of dietary fibers and antioxidant compounds. Diets supplemented with peeled sweeties positively influence plasma lipid metabolism and plasma antioxidant capacity in patients suffering from hypercholesterolemia. Therefore, the addition of peeled sweeties to a generally accepted antiatherosclerotic diet may be beneficial in prevention of atherosclerosis, mainly in hypercholesterolemic patients.
Gorinstein
Shela
S
Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Natural Products, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem-Hadassah Medical School, P.O.B. 12065, Jerusalem 91120, Israel. gorin@cc.huji.ac.il
Caspi
Abraham
A
Libman
Imanuel
I
Katrich
Elena
E
Lerner
Henry Tzvi
HT
Trakhtenberg
Simon
S
D000368:Aged; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002957:Citrus; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications*; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000178:diet therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D000975:Antioxidants