Fungal chitin-glucan from Aspergillus niger efficiently reduces aortic fatty streak accumulation in the high-fat fed hamster, an animal model of nutritionally induced atherosclerosis.

The effects of chitin-glucan (CG) on early atherosclerosis, cardiac production of superoxide anion, and hepatic antioxidant enzymes were studied in an animal model of atherosclerosis. Three groups of 12 hamsters were fed an atherogenic diet for 12 weeks. They received by gavage either water (control group) or CG in water at a dose of 21.

Polyphenols-enriched Chardonnay white wine and sparkling Pinot Noir red wine identically prevent early atherosclerosis in hamsters.

The effects of a white wine enriched with polyphenols (PEWW) from Chardonnay grapes and of a sparkling red wine (SRW) from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes were studied for the first time on early atherosclerosis in hamsters. Animals were fed an atherogenic diet for 12 weeks. They received by force-feeding PEWW, SRW, ethanol 12% (ETH), or water as control (mimicking a moderate consumption of approximately 2 red wine glasses per meal for a 70 kg human).

The absorption, metabolism and excretion of flavan-3-ols and procyanidins following the ingestion of a grape seed extract by rats.

Rats were fed a grape seed extract (GSE) containing (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin and dimers, trimers, tetramers and polymeric procyanidins. Liver, kidney, brain and gastrointestinal (GI) tract together with plasma, urine and faeces were collected over a 24 h period and their flavan-3-ol content was analysed by HPLC with tandem mass spectrometry and diode array detection. Small amounts of the GSE flavan-3-ols moved out of the stomach and into the duodenum/jejunum, and to a greater extent the ileum 1 h after ingestion, and into the caecum after 2 h with relatively small amounts being detected in the colon after 3 h.

Determination of stilbenes (delta-viniferin, trans-astringin, trans-piceid, cis- and trans-resveratrol, epsilon-viniferin) in Brazilian wines.

Phenolics from grapes and wines can play a role against oxidation and development of atherosclerosis. Stilbenes have been shown to protect lipoproteins from oxidative damage and to have cancer chemopreventive activity. We describe a method for the direct determination of stilbenes in several red wines using high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection.

Dietary wine phenolics catechin, quercetin, and resveratrol efficiently protect hypercholesterolemic hamsters against aortic fatty streak accumulation.

The effects of the phenolic compounds catechin (Cat), quercetin (Qer), and resveratrol (Res) present in red wine on early atherosclerosis were studied in hamsters. Hamsters (n = 32) were divided into 4 groups of 8 and fed an atherogenic diet for 12 weeks. They received by force-feeding 7.

Extracts enriched in different polyphenolic families normalize increased cardiac NADPH oxidase expression while having differential effects on insulin resistance, hypertension, and cardiac hypertrophy in high-fructose-fed rats.

Insulin resistance and oxidative stress act synergistically in the development of cardiovascular complications. The present study compared the efficacy of three polyphenolic extracts in their capacity to prevent hypertension, cardiac hypertrophy, increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by the aorta or the heart, and increased expression of cardiac NAD(P)H oxidase in a model of insulin resistance. Rats were fed a 60%-enriched fructose food and were treated once a day (gavage) for 6 weeks with 10 mL/kg of water only (F group) or the same amount of solution containing a red grape skin polyphenolic extract enriched in anthocyanins (ANT), a grape seed extract enriched in procyanidins and rich in galloylated procyanidins (PRO), or the commercial preparation Vitaflavan (VIT), rich in catechin oligomers.

Red wine polyphenols alone or in association with ethanol prevent hypertension, cardiac hypertrophy, and production of reactive oxygen species in the insulin-resistant fructose-fed rat.

The effects of a red wine polyphenolic extract (RWPE), ethanol, or both combined were evaluated in insulin resistant rats. Rats were fed for 6 weeks with fructose (60%)-enriched food and force-fed with (a) water only (F group), (b) aqueous solution of RWPE (100 mg/kg, FP group), (c) 10% (v/v) mixture of ethanol and water (FE group), or (d) solution containing the same amount of the RWPE and ethanol (FPE group). Animals fed a standard chow (C group) were used for comparison purpose.

Phenolics from commercialized grape extracts prevent early atherosclerotic lesions in hamsters by mechanisms other than antioxidant effect.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antiatherosclerotic effect of commercially available phenolic-rich extracts from grape seeds (ExGrape seeds, EGS; grape seed extract, GSE) and marc (ExGrape total, EGT) in cholesterol-fed hamsters and to investigate possible operating mechanisms. These extracts fed at a moderate dose mimicking two glasses of red wine per meal reduced plasma cholesterol (-11% on average) but did not affect plasma antioxidant capacity of hamsters. The extracts prevented the development of aortic atherosclerosis by 68% (EGS), 63% (EGT), and 34% (GSE).