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Introduction: Hyperlipidemia is a risk factor for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. Nuts such as almonds are high in unsaturated lipids and antioxidants. Some studies indicate that nuts have beneficial effects on cardiovascular system. Therefore, the aim of this study was evaluation of the effectiveness of shelled almonds on reduction of blood lipid and lipoprotein levels in hyperlipidemic patients. Methods: This study was a clinical trial (before and after) and was done on 30 men volunteering for the study. They consumed 60 grams shelled almonds per day for four weeks. Their blood lipid, lipoprotein, apolipoprotein and lipoprotein (a) levels were measured after and before almond consumption. Results: Shelled almond consumption caused significant decrease in serum cholesterol 36.1 mg/dl, triglyceride 45.94 mg/dl, LDL-cholesterol 28.68 mg/dl and increase in HDL-cholesterol 10.64 mg/dl(p

Background and Aim: Altered glucose metabolism, oxidative stress, lipid levels and inflammatory markers are important risk factors in diabetes, cardiovascular, and many other diseases. Cocoa has been shown to exert antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of this study is twofold: to assess the effect of Cocoa on the lipid profile and peroxidation in addition to the inflammatory markers in type 2 diabetic patients, and to represent a virtual model of probable action mechanism of observed clinical effects of Cocoa consumption using in silico analysis and bioinformatics data., Methods: One hundred subjects with type 2 diabetes were included in a randomized clinical control trial. Fifty treatment subjects received 10 grams cocoa powder and 10 grams milk powder dissolved in 250 ml of boiling water, and the other fifty control subjects received only 10 grams milk powder dissolved in 250 ml boiling water. Both groups were on the mentioned regimen twice daily for 6 weeks. Blood samples were obtained prior to Cocoa consumption and 6 weeks after intervention. Serum lipids and lipoproteins profile, malondialdehyde and inflammatory markers including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were measured. For statistical analysis two independent and paired samples t-test and linear regression were used. Bioinformatics and virtual analysis were performed using string data base and Molegro virtual software., Results: Cocoa consumption lowered blood cholesterol,triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol, and TNF-α, hs-CRP, IL-6 significantly (P < 0.01). The results showed that the levels of HDL-cholesterol decreased significantly (P < 0.05) but Cocoa inhibited lipid peroxidation in treatment group than control group (P < 0.0001). Virtual analysis showed that the most frequent Cocoa ingredients, (+)-Catechin and (-)-Epicatechin, can dock to the enzyme COX-2., Conclusion: These data support the beneficial effect of Cocoa on the lipid peroxidation prevention and inflammatory markers in type 2 diabetic patients. Cocoa ingredients block the Cox-2 activation and reduce inflammatory prostanoids synthesis according to virtual analysis.

Objective(s): Paraoxonase-1 (PON1), an HDL-associated enzyme, prevents lipoprotein oxidation. PON1 enzymatic activity has been shown to decrease in patients with diabetes. Paraoxonase activity. HDL capacity to bind with PON1 is possible under specific experimental conditions, such as oxidation, addition of polyphenols, or in diabetic patients with polyphenols doses. The aim of this study was the effect of pomegranate juice (PJ) on paraoxonase and arylesterase activity of PON1., Materials and Methods: Fifty patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus consumed 200 ml of PJ daily for a period of 6 weeks. Blood was collected from the patients before and after PJ consumption after 12 h of fasting. Blood sugar, total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL- C and HDL-C were measured by colorimetric kit method. The malondialdehyde concentration (μmol/L) was determined by thiobarbituric acid (TBA) assay. Paraoxonase and arylesterase activity of PON1 enzyme were measured using paraoxone and phenylacetate as the substrates., Results: The concentration of fasting blood sugar, total cholesterol, LDL-C and malondialdehyde significantly (p < 0.001) decreased after the intervention. Paraoxonase and arylesterase activity of PON1 significantly (p < 0.001) increased after the intervention. There were however no significant changes in serum triglyceride and HDL-C. There was a significant positive correlation between paraoxonase and arylesterase activity of PON1 and serum HDL-C concentration . A significant negative correlation was detected between paraoxonase and arylesterase activity of PON1 and FBS., Conclusion: It can be concluded that PJ consumption as an antioxidant may have a contribution in changing fasting blood sugar, lipid profiles, lipoprotein oxidation, and PON1 activity.

Objectives: Oxidation and level of plasma lipids are closely implicated in the development of coronary heart disease (CHD). Dietary almond supplementation may participate in beneficial effects on CHD lipid risk factor levels and their susceptibility to oxidative modification. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with almond on serum lipid levels and their relation to lipid oxidation parameters in men with mild hyperlipidemia., Design: Thirty (30) healthy volunteer men (age 45.57 ± 7.14 years and body-mass index 24.29 ± 2.15 kg/m(2)) with mild hyperlipidemia received 60 g almond daily for 4 weeks., Outcome Measures: Overnight fasting blood samples were obtained before and after supplementation. Serum levels of lipids, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins and copper-induced serum lipid oxidation were determined. Lipid oxidation was followed by monitoring of the change of conjugated dienes in diluted serum after addition of Cu(2+). A number of quantitative parameters including lag-time, maximal rate of oxidation (V-max), and maximal amount of lipid peroxide products (OD-max) were evaluated., Results: After 4 weeks, almond supplementation significantly decreased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol (TC), and apolipoprotein B100 (apo-B100). At baseline, there was little correlation between lipid risk factors and lipid oxidation parameters, but a positive correlation was observed between TC and lag-time (r = 0.6, p = 0.001), negative correlation between TC with V-max and OD-max (r = -0.65, p < 0.001 and r = -0.61, p = 0.001), and also positive correlation between apo-B100 with V-max and OD-max (r = 0.48, p = 0.01 and r = 0.54, p = 0.003) after almond supplementation., Conclusions: These results demonstrated that almond supplementation, in addition to lowering effects on serum levels of CHD lipid risk factors, may contribute to a dramatic change in the relation of lipid risk factors and susceptibility of serum lipids to oxidative modification. This may be due to the distribution of different almond phenolic antioxidants in different components of serum including nonlipoprotein molecules such as serum albumin.