title: Artichoke juice improves endothelial function in hyperlipemia.
abstract: Artichoke extracts have been shown to produce various pharmacological effects, such as the inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis and of LDL oxidation. Endothelial dysfunction represents the first stage of atherosclerotic disease; it is usually evaluated in humans by a noninvasive ultrasound method as brachial flow-mediated vasodilation (FMV) and by the determination of several humoral markers such as vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and E-selectin. Aim of the study was to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with artichoke juice on brachial FMV of hyperlipemics. We studied 18 moderately hyperlipemic patients (LDL cholesterol > 130 <200 mg/dl and/or triglycerides >150 <250 mg/dl) of both genders and 10 hyperlipemic patients, matched for age, sex and lipid parameters. All subjects were under isocaloric hypolipidic diet. A basal determination of serum lipids, soluble VCAM-1, ICAM-1, E-selectin and brachial FMV was performed. Thereafter patients were given 20 ml/die of frozen artichoke juice. The same parameters were repeated after 6 weeks. After artichoke treatment there was an increase of triglycerides (156 +/- 54 vs 165 +/- 76 mg/dL, p <0.05) and a reduction of total cholesterol (261 +/- 37 vs 244 +/- 38 mg/dL, p <0.05) and LDL cholesterol (174 +/- 31 vs 160 +/- 34 mg/dL, p <0.05). Controls showed a significant decrease in total and LDL cholesterol (respectively: 267 +/- 22 vs 249 +/- 20 mg/dL and 180 +/- 24 vs 164 +/- 23 mg/dL, both p <0.001). After artichoke there was a decrease in VCAM-1(1633 +/- 1293 vs 1139 +/- 883 ng/mL, p <0.05) and ICAM-1(477 +/- 123 vs 397 +/- 102 ng/mL, p <0.05), brachial FMV increased (3.3 +/- 2.7 vs 4.5 +/- 2.4%, p <0.01), while controls did not exhibit significant changes in VCAM-1, ICAM-1, E-selectin and brachial FMV. Univariate analysis showed that, in artichoke patients, changes of VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 were significantly related to changes in brachial FMV (respectively: r=-0.66 and r=-0.62; both p <0.05). In conclusion, artichoke dietary supplementation seems to positively modulate endothelial function in hypercholesterolemia.
authors.affiliation: Section of Internal Medicine, Angiology and Atherosclerosis, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Italy. glupa@unipg.it
authors.forename: Graziana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lupattelli
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marchesi
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lombardini
authors.forename: Anna Rita
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Roscini
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Trinca
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gemelli
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vaudo
authors.forename: Elmo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mannarino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D031943:Cynara scolymus / Q000737:chemistry*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000097:blood; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D019040:E-Selectin; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014280:Triglycerides; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1