title: Can cranberry extract and vitamin C + Zn supplements affect the in vivo activity of paraoxonase 1, antioxidant potential, and lipid status?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The modern way of life exposes us to substantial oxidative stress, putting the focus on the research of antioxidant effects of dietary supplements. Recent studies have shown that the effectiveness of particular vitamins and herbal preparations might have an effect on paraoxonase activity. Paraoxonase 1 is an HDL associated enzyme which prevents the oxidation of LDL. Several studies have shown the beneficial effect of some dietary components to the activity of paraoxonase. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of cranberry extract and vitamin C and zinc preparations (vitamin C + Zn) on serum paraoxonase 1 activity, antioxidant status, and glucose and lipid concentration.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 31 healthy volunteers (median age 24 years). They were divided into 3 groups according to the intervention type and smoking status and exposed to commercially available preparations of the cranberry extract (2 g/day) and vitamin C + Zn (300 mg/day) during 4 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results have shown that there is a significant increase in the activity of the paraoxonase 1 in nonsmokers after the intervention with the cranberry extract as well as with vitamin C + Zn preparations. Also, total antioxidant status increased in the non-smokers subgroup after intervention with vitamin C + Zn. However, the lipid profile did not change significantly in response to antioxidant preparations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show that antioxidant supplements can increase the antioxidant potential of an organism as well as paraoxonase 1 activity. This observation is pointing to the potential complementary role of dietary supplements in the primary prevention of atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Chemistry, University Hospital Center Sestre Milosrdnice, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Ilijana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Begcevic
authors.forename: Ana-Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Simundic
authors.forename: Nora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nikolac
authors.forename: Sanja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dobrijevic
authors.forename: Marija Grdic
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Rajkovic
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tesija-Kuna
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D043303:Aryldialkylphosphatase / Q000378:metabolism*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000378:metabolism; D029799:Vaccinium macrocarpon / Q000737:chemistry*; D055815:Young Adult; D015032:Zinc / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D008055:Lipids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D043303:Aryldialkylphosphatase; C468406:PON1 protein, human; D015032:Zinc; D001205:Ascorbic Acid