title: Protective effect of corn peptides against alcoholic liver injury in men with chronic alcohol consumption: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Corn peptides (CPs) are a novel food prepared from corn gluten meal, which is a main by-product of the corn starch industry. Recently, significant beneficial effects of CPs on early alcoholic liver injury in rats and on acute alcoholic injury in mice were observed. To our knowledge, the present study is the first report showing that CPs supplementation has beneficial effects on lipid profile, oxidative stress and alcoholic liver injury in men with chronic alcohol consumption.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 9-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted between September 2011 and August 2012 to assess the hepatoprotective effect of CPs. A total of 161 men were randomized to receive CPs (n=53), whey protein (n=54), or corn starch placebo (n=54) at the same dose of 2 g twice daily. 146 participants completed the study. Serum lipid profile, serum markers of liver injury, oxidative stress and inflammation, and fatty liver based on the results of abdominal ultrasonography were assessed at the beginning and end of the intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CPs supplementation (4 g/d) for 9 weeks significantly lowered serum levels or activities of total cholesterol, triglyceride, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, malondialdehyde and tumor necrosis factor-α, and significantly increased serum activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, but the same dose of whey protein and corn starch (placebo) did not demonstrate these effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that CPs may have protective effects on alcohol-induced liver damage via modulation of lipid metabolism and oxidative stress. CPs may potentially be used as a functional food for the management of alcoholic liver disease in subjects with chronic alcohol consumption.
authors.forename: Yuhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Xingchang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Shixiu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wenxian
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Muyi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Yanrong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, and Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China. hwguo@shmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Hongwei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D003313:Zea mays / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010940:Plant Proteins