February 26/Kawasaki, Japan/Healthcare Finance, Tax & Law Weekly -- Investigators have published new data in the report "Effects of safflower seed extract supplementation on oxidation and cardiovascular risk markers in healthy human volunteers."
According to recent research from Kawasaki, Japan, "We previously demonstrated that safflower seed extract (SSE) and its major antioxidant constituents, serotonin hydroxycinnamic acid amides, suppressed LDL oxidation in vitro, decreased plasma autoantibody titres to oxidized LDL and attenuated atherosclerotic lesion formation in apoE-deficient mice. In this report, we examined whether SSE, rich in serotonin derivatives, could affect markers of oxidative stress, inflammation and aortic stiffness in healthy human subjects."
"Twenty Japanese male volunteers were studied at baseline, after 2.1g SSE supplementation daily (providing 290mg serotonin derivatives/d) for four weeks, and after a four-week washout period. Significant reductions in circulating oxidized LDL, autoantibody titres to malondialdehyde-modified LDL, the soluble form of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), and urinary 8-isoprostane were observed after a four-week intervention. Although there were no statistically significant differences in blood pressure or brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), an index of arterial stiffness, baPWV was lower than baseline in 11 of 20 subjects and was accompanied by a reduction in blood pressure. Statistically significant negative correlations were observed between the extent of initial cardiovascular risk markers (autoantibody titres, 8-isoprostane, sVCAM-1 and baPWV) and the effect of intervention," wrote N. Koyama and colleagues, Ajinomoto Co. Inc.
The researchers concluded, "This suggested that individuals with elevated oxidative stress, inflammation and/or arterial stiffness may receive more benefit from SSE supplementation."
Koyama and colleagues published their study in the British Journal of Nutrition ("Effects of safflower seed extract supplementation on oxidation and cardiovascular risk markers in healthy human volunteers." British Journal of Nutrition, 2009;101(4):568-75).
For additional information, contact N. Koyama, Research Institute for Health Fundamentals, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., 1-1, Suzuki-cho, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki 210-8681, Japan.
From the February 16, 2009, Prepared Foods E-dition
