December 3/Journal of Technology & Science -- "In view of the well-documented hypocholesterolemic and hypotriglyceridemic properties of the two bioactive spice compounds -- curcumin and capsaicin -- vanillin, a structural component of these two compounds, was examined for a possible hypolipidemic influence in induced hypercholesterolemic and hypertriglyceridemic rats. A promising hypotriglyceridemic influence of dietary vanillin incorporated at 0.2mg % level was evidenced in normal as well as in sucrose-induced hypertriglyceridemic rats," researchers in Mysore, India report.

"Lowering of serum triglyceride was to an extent of 20%, and this reduction in serum triglyceride level was essentially seen in the LDL-VLDL fraction. A further study was carried out to examine the vanillin dose versus hypotriglyceridemic effect relationship in high-fat-fed animals. Dietary vanillin produced a significant hypotriglyceridemic effect at all the dietary levels (0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 5.0mg/100g) tested. Lowering of circulatory triglyceride was accompanied by its parallel increase in liver," wrote K. Srinivasan and colleagues.

The researchers concluded, "Vanillin at the two higher doses tested, had a remarkable body weight reducing influence, significantly countering the accumulation of fat in the perirenal adipose tissue."

From the December 5, 2008, Prepared Foods e-Flash