Metabolic Fate and Cardiometabolic Effects of Phenolic Compounds from Red-Fleshed Apple in Hypercholesterolemic Rats: A Comparative Study with Common White-Fleshed Apple: The AppleCOR Study

Identifier:  imarina:9216333

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/imarina9216333

Authors:  Yuste, S; Ludwig, IA; Romero, MP; Piñol-Felis, C; Catalán, U; Pedret, A; Valls, RM; Fernández-Castillejo, S; Motilva, MJ; Macià, A; Rubió, L

Abstract:
The present study aims to investigate the metabolic fate and the cardiometabolic effects of phenolic compounds provided by a red-fleshed apple variety biofortified in anthocyanins (ACN). Wistar rats are fed with high-fat diet (HFD) to induce hypercholesterolemia and supplemented with red-fleshed apple (HFD+R), white-fleshed apple (HFD+W), or an ACN-rich infusion from aronia fruit (HFD+A) providing matched content and profile of ACN. Plasma biochemical parameters, histological analysis, and phenol biological metabolites are determined. Plasma, urine, and feces show a significant increase of ACN metabolites after HFD+R and HFD+A, while flavan-3-ols are significantly increased after HFD+W and dihydrochalcones derivatives increased after both apples supplementation. A cardioprotective effect sobserved after both apples and aronia infusion supplementation in the reduction of aortic thickness. The kidney function is improved after all supplementations and a decrease in insulin plasma concentration after both apples supplementation (HFD+R and HFD+W) is also observed. The findings support that ACN without apple matrix can induce cardioprotective effects. ACN or flavan-3-ols, together with dihydrochalcones, compose a phenolic phytocomplex in red- and white-fleshed apples, respectively, which can act synergistically in the attenuation of cardiovascular outcomes in hypercholesterolemic rats.