Antioxidant Effect of Lonicera caerulea L. in the Cardiovascular System of Obese Zucker Rats

Lonicera caerulea L. (Loni) represents a promising source of beneficial polyphenols with therapeutical potential in cardiovascular diseases. We aimed to study the effects of Loni and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) on selected cardiometabolic parameters and NO/ROS balance in obese Zucker rats. Male Zucker rats were divided into the control group and groups treated with CoQ10 (30 mg/kg/day) or Loni (5 g/kg/day) for 6 weeks. Blood pressure, body weight, heart weight, and plasma lipid profile were determined. NOS activity and protein expressions of eNOS, SOD, NADPH oxidase, and NF-kappa B were measured in the heart and aorta. Neither body weight nor blood pressure were significantly changed after six weeks of Loni or CoQ10 treatment. Both Loni and CoQ10 decreased the plasma LDL level. Moreover, Loni decreased the total cholesterol level. The total NOS activity did not change in the heart after the treatments. However, in the aorta, Loni treatment increased NOS activity and protein expression of SOD and decreased expressions of NADPH oxidase and NF-kappa B compared to both the control and CoQ10 groups. There were no changes in the eNOS protein expression within the groups. In conclusion, it seems that the antioxidant effect of Loni was responsible for both the decrease of plasma LDL and the total cholesterol levels and the increase of vascular NOS activity.

Effects of Cornelian Cherry on Atherosclerosis and Its Risk Factors

Functional food represents an important alternative management of atherosclerosis, its risk factors, and clinical complications. Atherosclerosis is characterized by microinflammation, formation of atheromatous lipoprotein-rich plaques, and protrombogenic status. Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L., CC) contains polyphenols influencing all three components of atherosclerosis. Its high antioxidant potential, verified in experimental studies, exhibited a pronounced decrease of inflammatory markers. CC treatment demonstrated a favourable effect on lipid spectrum (comparable with statins), decrease of glycemia, and increase of insulin (comparable with glibenclamide). Polyphenols identified in CC exhibited both direct antiplatelet effects and reduction of platelet hyper-reactivity mediated via attenuation of oxidative stress. The first clinical trials confirmed a clinically relevant decrease of total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triacylglycerols, lipoproteins, amelioration of inflammatory activity, and insulin secretion improvement after the treatment with CC polyphenolic compounds. However, the limitation of published studies is the use of undefined cultivars of CC, their experimental nature, small scale, and missing longitudinal trials. Nevertheless, biochemical properties of CC, hitherto described, predispose its products for the adjuvant management of atherosclerosis.