The influence of white, red and black rice consumption on atherosclerotic plaque formation induced by hypercholesterolemia was investigated in rabbits. Male rabbits (n = 36) were divided into five groups. They were fed a normal laboratory purified diet (normal group, n = 6), a high cholesterol (0.5 g/100 g) diet (HC group, n = 6), a high cholesterol diet with 30 g/100 g white rice (WR group, n = 8), 30 g/100 g red rice (RR group, n = 8), or 30 g/100 g black rice (BR group, n = 8) for 10 wk. Blood samples were collected for lipid measurements and aorta were removed for assessment of atherosclerotic plaques at the end of the protocol. The oxidant and antioxidant status of blood, erythrocytes, liver and aorta was evaluated. The area of atherosclerotic plaque was 50% lower in rabbits fed the red or black rice diets than in those fed the white rice diet. Compared with the HC and WR groups, serum HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein (apo) A-I concentration were greater (P < 0.05) in the RR and BR groups. Liver reactive oxygen species (ROS) and aortic malondialdehyde (MDA) were significantly lower, and the liver total antioxidative capacity (TAC) and erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were significantly higher in the RR and BR groups compared with the HC and WR groups. Red or black rice consumption reduced or retarded the progression of atherosclerotic plaque development induced by dietary cholesterol. The enhanced serum HDL cholesterol and apo A-I concentrations, and the increased antioxidant and decreased oxidative status may be mechanisms of the antiatherogenic effect of red or black rice.
Apolipoprotein (apo)E-deficient mice were used to study the antiatherogenic effect of black rice pigment fraction (BRF) and the possible mechanisms by which it inhibits atherogenesis. The apoE-deficient mice (n = 45) were randomly divided into three groups and received AIN-93G diet (positive group), AIN-93G with 5 g of black rice pigment fraction/100 g (BRF group) and AIN-93G with 5 g of white rice outer layer fraction/100 g (WRF group) for 16 wk. C57BL/6J mice (n = 15) received AIN-93G and were used as a control group. Blood samples were collected for measurement of lipid concentration, antioxidized LDL antibody and nitric oxide concentration. Livers were extracted for determination of cholesterol concentrations, and aortas were used to determine cholesterol concentrations and inducible nitric oxide synthase protein and mRNA expression. Hearts were used to assess atherosclerotic plaque formation. The apoE-deficient mice fed the black rice pigment fraction diet had 48% (P < 0.01) less atherosclerotic lesion area compared with apoE-deficient mice fed only the AIN-93G diet and 46% (P < 0.01) less lesion area compared with mice fed the white rice outer layer fraction diet. This observation corresponded with significantly (P < 0.05) lower total serum cholesterol, lower liver and aorta cholesterol (P < 0.01) and higher HDL cholesterol (P < 0.05) concentrations and lower (P < 0.05) antioxidized LDL antibody titer in apoE-deficient mice fed the black rice pigment fraction diet compared with positive and WRF groups. Notwithstanding this, mice fed the black rice pigment fraction diet also had lower CD4(+) T lymphocyte expression (P < 0.05) and weaker inducible nitric oxide synthase expression (P < 0.05) compared with mice fed the AIN-93G diet and the white rice outer layer fraction diet, respectively. We concluded that the inhibition of atherosclerotic lesions of the black rice pigment fraction is attributed to the improvement in cholesterol accumulation and reduction in oxidative stress and inflammation.
The effect of orally administered lactobacilli on acute rotavirus diarrhea was tested in 42 well-nourished children ages 5-28 months. After oral rehydration, the patients were randomized to a study group, receiving human Lactobacillus casei strain GG 10(10) colony-forming units twice daily for five days, or a control group not given lactobacilli. Lactobacillus GG was found in the feces in 83% of the study group. The diarrheal phase was shortened in that group. Dietary supplementation with lactobacilli significantly influenced the bacterial enzyme profile: urease activity during diarrhea transiently increased in the control group but not in the study group; F = 8.6, P = 0.01. No intergroup differences were found in beta-glucuronidase, beta-glucosidase, and glycocholic acid hydrolase levels. We suggest that rotavirus infection gives rise to biphasic diarrhea, the first phase being an osmotic diarrhea and the second associated with overgrowth of specifically urease-producing bacteria. Oral bacteriotherapy appears a promising means to counteract the disturbed microbial balance.
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