title: Reduction of oxidative stress and apoptosis in hyperlipidemic rabbits by ellagic acid.
abstract: Oxidative stress is one of the major risk factors for coronary artery disease. Ellagic acid is a phenolic compound present in fruits and nuts, and has been found to have antioxidative property. Twenty-four New Zealand white (NZW) rabbits were assigned randomly into four dietary groups. The normal group was fed regular rabbit chow, and the cholesterol group was fed a high fat and cholesterol diet. The ellagic acid (E) group and probucol group were fed the same diet as the cholesterol group plus the addition of 1% (w/w diet) ellagic acid and probucol, respectively. Oxidative stress [as measured by plasma lipids, oxygen free radicals and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS)] increased in the cholesterol group compared with the normal group; however, it decreased in the probucol and E groups compared with the cholesterol group. Forty-five percent of the intimal surface of the thoracic aorta was covered with atherosclerotic lesions in the cholesterol group, but only 2-3% was covered in the E and probucol groups. The aortic level of 8-(OH)dG and the expression of caspase-8, caspase-9 and Fas ligand were also suppressed after ellagic acid supplement. These results indicated that ellagic acid could prevent atherosclerosis via suppression of oxidative stress and apoptosis in hyperlipidemic rabbits.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. yuyamei@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Ya-Mei
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Weng-Cheng
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Chieh-Hsi
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Su-Yin
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Chiang
mesh_terms: D000080242:8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine; D000818:Animals; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000473:pathology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D053181:Caspase 8; D053453:Caspase 9; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D003849:Deoxyguanosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D004610:Ellagic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000378:metabolism; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D011341:Probucol / Q000494:pharmacology; D011817:Rabbits; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D008055:Lipids; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors; D004610:Ellagic Acid; D000080242:8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine; D053181:Caspase 8; D053453:Caspase 9; D020169:Caspases; D003849:Deoxyguanosine; D011341:Probucol