title: The protective effect of the Cornus mas fruits (cornelian cherry) on hypertriglyceridemia and atherosclerosis through PPARα activation in hypercholesterolemic rabbits.
abstract: Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) fruits have been used in traditional cuisine and in folk medicine in various countries. This study was conducted to evaluate the constituents and impact of cornelian cherry (C. mas L.) fruits lyophilisate on lipid levels, PPARα protein expression, atheromatous changes in the aorta, oxido-redox state, and proinflammatory cytokines in hypercholesterolemic rabbits. The HPLC-MS method was used for determining active constituents in cornelian cherry. In a subsequent in vivo study the protective effect of the cornelian cherry on diet-induced hyperlipidemia was studied using a rabbit model fed 1% cholesterol. Cornelian cherry (100mg/kg b.w.) or simvastatin (5mg/kg b.w.) were administered orally for 60 days. Two iridoids - loganic acid and cornuside - and five anthocyanins were identified as the main constituents of the cornelian cherry. The administering of the cornelian cherry led to a 44% significant decrease in serum triglyceride levels, as well as prevented development of atheromatous changes in the thoracic aorta. Cornelian cherry significantly increased PPARα protein expression in the liver, indicating that its hypolipidemic effect may stem from enhanced fatty acid catabolism. Simvastatin treatment did not affect PPAR-α expression. Moreover, the cornelian cherry had a significant protective effect on diet-induced oxidative stress in the liver, as well as restored upregulated proinflammatory cytokines serum levels. In conclusion, we have shown loganic acid to be the main iridoid constituent in the European cultivar of the cornelian cherry, and proven that the cornelian cherry could have protective effects on diet-induced hypertriglicerydemia and atherosclerosis through enhanced PPARα protein expression and via regulating oxidative stress and inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Wroclaw Medical University, Jana Mikulicza-Radeckiego 2, 50-345 Wrocław, Poland. Electronic address: tsoz@wp.pl.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sozański
authors.affiliation: Department of Fruit, Vegetable and Cereals Technology, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Chełmońskiego 37/41, 51-630 Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: A Z
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: Kucharska
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Science, C.K. Norwida 25, 50-375 Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szumny
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Wroclaw Medical University, Jana Mikulicza-Radeckiego 2, 50-345 Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Magdalan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bielska
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Wroclaw Medical University, Jana Mikulicza-Radeckiego 2, 50-345 Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Merwid-Ląd
authors.affiliation: Department of Epizootiology and Clinic of Birds and Exotic Animals, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Grunwaldzki Sq. 45, 50-366 Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Woźniak
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, C.K. Norwida 31, 50-375 Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dzimira
authors.affiliation: Bolestraszyce Arboretum and Institute of Physiography, 37-700 Przemyśl, Poland; Department of Tourism & Recreation, University of Rzeszow, Towarnickiego 3, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Piórecki
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Wroclaw Medical University, Jana Mikulicza-Radeckiego 2, 50-345 Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trocha
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000872:Anthocyanins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000187:drug effects; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D029768:Cornus / Q000737:chemistry*; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy; D039823:Iridoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015394:Molecular Structure; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D047493:PPAR alpha / Q000378:metabolism*; D011817:Rabbits; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000872:Anthocyanins; D039823:Iridoids; D047493:PPAR alpha; D014280:Triglycerides
keywords: Anthocyanins; Atherosclerosis; Cornelian cherry; Cornus mas; Iridoids; PPARα; Triglycerides