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ABSTRACT
Backgmund: Hypercholesterolemia is one of the risk factors of cardiovascular diseases. Increased blood cholesterol affects general health and increases mortality due to cardiovascular disease. Poor nutrition increases LDL cholesterol and decreases LDL receptor activities in the liver. Scientists have shown that consumption of antioxidants can reduce hypercholesterolemia and proved benefits of fruit and vegetables. Tomato reduces oxidative stress by increasing serum total antioxidant level.
Objectives: This study compared the tomato and tomato paste supplementation on the level of serum lipids and lipoproteins in rats fed with high cholesterol.
Materials and Methods: In this study, four male rat groups (10 rats per group) were used. Control group received basal diet, second group received basal diet and 2% cholesterol (Choi), third and fourth groups received basal diet, 2% cholesterol tomato and tomato paste respectively (20 percent of the diet) for a month. Then serum TC, LDL, HDL and TG were measured.
Results: Results showed that in Choi group, all lipids increased significantly (P< 0.05) except HDL compared to the control group. Tomato and tomato paste supplementation decreased TC, LDL and TG concentration significantly (P < 0.05) compared to Choi group. Tomato paste had the higher effect on lipids decreasing than tomato.
Conclusions: Decreases of TC, LDL and TG maybe related to tomato antioxidant effect. This course in human required more investigations.
Keywords: Hypercholesterolemia; Lipoproteins; Lycopersicon Esculentum; Rats
Copyright © 2013, Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal; Published by Kowsar Corp.
l. Background
Hyperlipidemia is one of the causes of death from car- diovascular diseases. Increase of blood cholesterol could treat public health (l, 2). Hypercholesterolemia is ob- served in most industrial societies that its main reason is poor nutrition with food containing saturated fats and high cholesterol. Poor nutrition with high cholesterol increases the cholesterol level, LDL and triglycerides lev- els. On the other hand, hypercholesterolemia decreases LDL receptors activity in the liver. Studies showed that increase of triglyceride and cholesterol levels could de- crease blood HDL level (3). Increased serum LDL level and decreased HDL level, are the main factors involved in car- diovascular diseases, especially coronary atherosclerosis, the development that causes inflammation and reduces the endothelial function and wide vascular lesions (4). Oxidation of LDL Lipoprotein in vessels increases pro- gression of cardiovascular...