Propolis and swimming in the prevention of atherogenesis and left ventricular hypertrophy in hypercholesterolemic mice

Abstract

Aims: The present study verified the effect of propolis alone and its association with swimming in dyslipidemia, left ventricular hypertrophy and atherogenesis of hypercholesterolemic mice. Methods and Results: The experiments were performed in LDLr-/-mice, fed with high fat diet for 75 days, and were divided into four experimental groups (n=10): HL, sedentary, subjected to aquatic stress (5 min per day, 5 times per week); NAT submitted to a swimming protocol (1 hour per day, 5 times per week) from the 16 th day of the experiment; PRO, sedentary, submitted to aquatic stress and which received oral propolis extract (70 uL/animal/day) from the 16 th day of the experiment; HL+NAT+PRO, submitted to swimming and which received propolis as described above. After 75 days, blood was collected for analysis of serum lipids. The ratio between the ventricular weight (mg) and the animal weight (g) was calculated. Histological sections of the heart and aorta were processed immunohistochemically with anti-CD40L antibodies to evaluate the inflammatory process; stained with hematoxylin/eosin and picrosirius red to assess morphological and morphometric alterations. The HL animals showed severe dyslipidemia, atherogenesis and left ventricular hypertrophy, associated with a decrease in serum HDLc levels and subsequent development of cardiovascular inflammatory process, characterized by increased expression of CD40L in the left ventricle and aorta. Swimming and propolis alone and\or associated prevented the LVH, atherogenesis and arterial and ventricular inflammation, decreasing the CD40L expression and increasing the HDLc plasmatic levels. Conclusion: Propolis alone or associated with a regular physical activity is beneficial in cardiovascular protection through anti-inflammatory action.Keywords: dyslipidemia, left ventricular hypertrophy, propolis, LDLr-/-mice. Própolis e natação na prevenção da aterogênese e hipertrofia ventricular esquerda de camundongos hipercolesterolêmicos ResumoObjetivos: O presente estudo verificou o efeito do própolis associação ou não com a natação na dislipidemia, na hipertrofia ventricular esquerda e aterogênese de camundongos hipercolesterolêmicos. Métodos e Resultados: Os experimentos foram realizados em camundongos LDLr-/-, alimentados com dieta hiperlipídica por 75 dias, e divididos em quatro grupos experimentais (n = 10): HL, sedentários, foram submetidos ao estresse aquático (5 min por dia, cinco vezes por semana); NAT foram submetidos a um protocolo de natação (1 hora por dia, cinco vezes por semana) a partir do 16° dia do experimento; PRO, sedentários, submetidos a estresse aquático e que receberam extrato de própolis oral (70 uL / animal / dia) a partir do 16° dia do experimento; HL + NAC + PRO, submetidos a natação e que recebeu a própolis, como descrito acima. Após 75 dias, foi coletado sangue para análise do perfil lipídico. Calculou-se a relação entre o peso ventricular (mg) e o peso do animal (g). Os cortes histológicos do coração e aorta foram processados imunohistoquímicamente co...

Dry Extract of Passiflora incarnata L. leaves as a Cardiac and Hepatic Oxidative Stress Protector in LDLr-/- Mice Fed High-Fat Diet

“…These flavonoids inhibit the enzyme responsible for the biosynthesis of cholesterol by Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA reductase, as well as the lipogenic enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and malic enzyme 24,25 . The mice from group HL presented LVH similar to those of studies developed in our laboratory, demonstrating that LDL-/-mice fed high-fat diet developed LVH and atherosclerosis due to the inflammatory process caused by severe dyslipidemia, associated to the decrease of the bioavailability of nitric oxide and of the serum levels of HDL and its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions 3,[26][27][28][29] . Furthermore, HL mice presented resistance to insulin, with hyperinsulinemia associated with the increase in serum levels of enzymes AP, AST, and ALT.…”

Anti-hypertensive and cardioprotective effects of a novel apitherapy formulation via upregulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α and -γ in spontaneous hypertensive rats

“…Although the chemical composition of propolis is affected by the origin and plant resources (Mishima et al, 2005), the properties of propolis always include antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidative effects (Burdock, 1998). Moreover, propolis has been shown to have hypotensive and cardioprotective effects (Gogebakan al., 2012, Majieneet al, 2006, Silvaet al, 2015). Royal jelly is effective for protecting the reproductive system and exhibits anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effects (Ramadan and Al-Ghamdi, 2012).…”

Potential Role of Propolis in the Prevention and Treatment of Metabolic Diseases

“…For the evaluation of the effects of propolis in dyslipidemia, the majority of the in vivo experimental models used a high-fat diet in order to induce an increase in the serum concentration of cholesterol and triglycerides and only one model used sodium nitrate to induce hypercholesterolemia [68]. Another experimental approach was to use genetically engineered animals like APOE2 or LDL r-/-transgenic mice, which develop severe dyslipidemia due to alterations of enzymes and receptors involved in cholesterol metabolism [70][71][72]. In all experiments, the administration of propolis decreased the concentration of total cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides.…”

“…Propolis has a high content of antioxidant molecules, being able to decrease lipid peroxidation and the generation of reactive oxygen species with positive effects on the cardiovascular system. Silva et al, 2015 demonstrated that propolis was able to prevent left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and atherogenesis in hypercholesterolemic mice, due to its ability to eliminate superoxide and hydroxyl radicals and the reduction of CD40L expression [ 70 ].…”