Antiatherogenic and Cardioprotective Effects of Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) Juice in Aging Rats.
Age-related diseases are a social problem of global significance and their prevention by natural products is a research area of particular interest. The present study is an approach to counteract the risk factors for atherosclerosis arising in the aging process by supplementation of chokeberry juice. It employed a model of healthy adult rats monitored for a number of somatometric, serum lipidogram, and histopathological parameters, related to risk factors and their response to supplementation with antioxidant-rich chokeberry juice. The results were used to calculate different atherogenic and cardioprotective indices, and all results were compared to those of young healthy rats. Chokeberry juice proved an extremely rich source of polyphenols resulting in very high antioxidant activity. Treatment with Aronia juice significantly lowered the proatherogenic low-density lipoprotein fraction of the animals studied and led to a 16.5% decrease in their total cholesterol. Atherogenic indices in Aronia-supplemented animals clearly showed lower atherogenic risk and cardioprotective indices indicated protection of the cardiovascular system. Besides that, chokeberry juice retarded the age-related changes in the aortic wall and can be recommended as a prophylactic tool for healthy aging.
Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Medical University of Plovdiv, 15A Vassil Aprilov Boulevard, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Elena
E
Daskalova
Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Medical University of Plovdiv, 15A Vassil Aprilov Boulevard, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Slavi
S
Delchev
Department of Social Medicine and Public Health, Medical University of Plovdiv, 15A Vassil Aprilov Boulevard, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Yulia
Y
Peeva
Medical University of Plovdiv, Clinic of Cardiology, 66 Peshtersko Shosse Boulevard, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Lyudmila
L
Vladimirova-Kitova
Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of Phytochemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Biologically Active Substances, 139 Ruski Boulevard, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria ; Innovative-Technological Centre (ITC) Ltd., 20 Dr. G. M. Dimitrov Street, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Maria
M
Kratchanova
Innovative-Technological Centre (ITC) Ltd., 20 Dr. G. M. Dimitrov Street, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Christo
C
Kratchanov
Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of Phytochemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Biologically Active Substances, 139 Ruski Boulevard, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria ; Innovative-Technological Centre (ITC) Ltd., 20 Dr. G. M. Dimitrov Street, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Petko
P
Denev