%0 Journal Article %A Chiu, Hui-Fang %A Huang, Yun-Chien %A Lu, Yan-Ying %A Han, Yi-Chun %A Shen, You-Cheng %A Golovinskaia, Oksana %A Venkatakrishnan, Kamesh %A Wang, Chin-Kun %D 2017 %T Regulatory/modulatory effect of prune essence concentrate on intestinal function and blood lipids %U https://tandf.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Regulatory_modulatory_effect_of_prune_essence_concentrate_on_intestinal_function_and_blood_lipids/4621939 %R 10.6084/m9.figshare.4621939 %2 https://tandf.figshare.com/ndownloader/files/7521223 %K Hypercholesterolemic %K intestinal microflora %K lipid profile %K antioxidant capacity %X

Context:Prunus domestica Linn (Rosaceae) has been considered a functional food, owing to its various pharmacological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic and anticancer.

Objective: This placebo-controlled, randomized study was framed to check the beneficial activity of prune essence concentrates (PEC) in corroboration with intestinal function and lipid profile in mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects.

Materials and methods: Sixty healthy mild hypercholesterolemic subjects were randomly chosen and segregated into three groups as placebo (consume 50 mL of simulated prune drink), PEC I (consume 50 mL of PEC/day) and PEC II (consume 100 mL of PEC/day) for 4 weeks with 2 weeks of follow-up without PEC consumption.

Results: Intake of PEC (I and II) for 4 weeks substantially ameliorated (p < 0.05) the colony number of Bifidobacterium spp. (1.18- and 1.19-fold) and Lactobacillus spp. (1.07- and 1.16-fold), but markedly lowered (p < 0.05) the colony number of Clostridium perfringens (5.97 and 8.35%) and Escherichia coli (6.25 and 9.38%). Meanwhile, the total cholesterol (TC; 5.90 and 6.99%) levels and LDL-c (6.68 and 6.53%) were significantly reduced (p < 0.05), but no change in other lipid parameters. Whereas, the antioxidant capacity was also concomitantly elevated (p < 0.05) upon administration with PEC.

Discussion and conclusion: Overall, the results suggest that the use of PEC may positively regulate the intestinal microflora and thereby effectively lower the TC levels and thus act as a hypocholesterolemic agent.

%I Taylor & Francis