Apple Pectin and a Polyphenol-Rich Apple Concentrate Are More Effective Together Than Separately on Cecal Fermentations and Plasma Lipids in Rats

Abstract

To evaluate the effect of apple components on cecal fermentations and lipid metabolism, rats were fed diets containing 5 g/100 g apple pectin (PEC), 10 g/100 g high polyphenol freeze-dried apple (PL) or both (PEC + PL). The cecal pH was slightly acidic (6.49) only in rats fed the PEC + PL diet (controls, 7.02). The cecal short-chain fatty acid pool was enlarged by all the apple fractions, with a peak of 560 micromol in rats fed the PEC + PL diet compared with 189 micromol in controls. Butyrate concentrations were 2-fold greater in rats fed the PL diet than in controls. Substantial concentrations of galacturonate and succinate (approximately 40 mmol/L) were found in the cecum of rats fed the PEC diet and, to a lesser extent, the PEC + PL diet. The PEC + PL diet significantly lowered plasma cholesterol, whereas both the PL and PEC + PL diets lowered plasma triglycerides. Liver cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations were lower in rats fed the PEC and PEC + PL diets. Fecal bile acid excretion was markedly reduced, whereas sterol excretion was significantly increased by dietary PEC. Rats fed the PEC and PEC + PL diets also had lower apparent cholesterol absorption than controls (30 compared with 43%). In conclusion, apple pectin and the polyphenol-rich fraction were more effective when fed combined together than when fed separately on large intestine fermentations and lipid metabolism, suggesting interactions between fibers and polyphenols of apple.

Effect of gala apples (Malus domestica Borkh) on lipidemia of hyperlipidemic rats

“…The association of pectin with polyphenols in apple extract effectively lowered the concentrations of cholesterol in the circulation, as shown in previous experiments using whole fruit extracts (APRIKIAN et al, 2003;SABLE-AMPLIS;SICART;BLUTHE, 1983;LEONTOWICZ et al, 2001).…”

“…This feature is rather unusual because the cholesterol-lowering effects of fiber are frequently considered to indicate the accelerated oxidation of cholesterol, through induction of liver cholesterol in response to interactions of bile acids with dietary constituents (APRIKIAN et al, 2003). Figure 2 depicts the effect of the experimental diets on the serum levels of HDL-C at 30 and 60 days of the treatments.…”

“…However, there are not many researches studying the use of apples in this area, and some of them include their antioxidant compounds (APRIKIAN, et al, 2003;BOYER;LIU, 2004;LEJA;MARECZEK;BEN, 2003;LEONTOWICZ et al, 2001;LEONTOWICZ et al, 2003;OGINO et al, 2007;SEMBRIES et al, 2006;VIDAL et al, 2005).…”

Non-extractable polyphenols, a major dietary antioxidant: occurrence, metabolic fate and health effects

“…These antiproliferative effects were additionally found in cell cultures treated with a NEPP concentrate from apple pomace (70) . (5) A reduction of intestinal tumorigenesis in APC Min/þ mice, an animal model of colorectal cancer, including significant reductions in the number (276 %) and size (265 to 2 87 %) of polyps (88) .…”

Physicochemical characteristics of rapidly dried onion powder and its anti-atherogenic effect on rats fed high-fat diet

“…Additionally, flavonoids together with pectin might make an important contribution to the anti-atherogenic effect. In the case of apple polyphenol and pectin, Aprikian et al (2003) reported that pectin and polyphenolic fractions lowered plasma, liver cholesterol and triglycerides in rats, and were more effective together than were either pectin alone or phenolics alone.…”