title: Silver fir (Abies alba) trunk extract protects guinea pig arteries from impaired functional responses and morphology due to an atherogenic diet.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diet, rich in plant polyphenols prevents atherogenesis that manifests as reduced vascular relaxation and formation of plaques.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Atherosclerosis could be reduced by the intake of silver fir (Abies alba) extract (SFTE), rich in polyphenols.
  
  
  METHODS
  Chronic, in vivo treatment animal study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) were fed for 8 weeks with one of the following three diets: atherogenic, basic or atherogenic + SFTE. After isolation, we measured the relaxation and contractile responses of the thoracic aorta. Additionally, we measured the area of fatty plaques on the aortic walls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to the basic diet, the atherogenic diet decreased the ability of the aorta to relax by 63% (p < 0.001). The addition of SFTE to the atherogenic diet improved the aorta relaxation response compared to that of the atherogenic diet without SFTE (the decrease relative to the basic diet was 26%, p < 0.001). The aorta contractility did not differ between the groups. The SFTE group generated significantly fewer atherosclerotic plaques than did the atherogenic group. The areas of atherosclerotic plaques were 7.4, 0.3 and 1.6% in the aortas of guinea pigs receiving atherogenic, basic or atherogenic + SFTE diets, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a guinea pig model, prolonged treatment with antioxidative polyphenol-rich SFTE prevents aortic functional and morphological changes caused by an atherogenic diet.
authors.affiliation: University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Slovenia ; University of Primorska, Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, Glagoljaška 8, SI-6000 Koper, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Gorazd
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Drevenšek
authors.affiliation: University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Mojca
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lunder
authors.affiliation: University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Pharmacy, Slovenia . Electronic address: eva.tavcar@ffa.uni-lj.si.
authors.forename: Eva Tavčar
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Benković
authors.affiliation: University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Pharmacy, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mikelj
authors.affiliation: University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Pharmacy, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Borut
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Štrukelj
authors.affiliation: University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Pharmacy, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Samo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kreft
mesh_terms: D028202:Abies / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000187:drug effects; D001158:Arteries / Q000187:drug effects*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004036:Diet, Atherogenic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000737:chemistry; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry*; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000737:chemistry; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Abies alba extract; Aorta relaxation; Atherogenic diet; Cardiovascular disease; Polyphenols