Blood Bird’s Nest attenuates high fat diet-induced oxidative stress and inflammation via regulation of hepatic antioxidant and inflammatory genes

Abstract

Background:

Blood Bird’s Nest is an antioxidant-rich supplement that is popular in many parts of Asia. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties have been reported using in vitro system. This paper aimed to determine the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of Blood Bird’s Nest in in high fat diet induced rats model.

Blood Bird’s Nest attenuates high fat diet-induced oxidative stress and inflammation via regulation of hepatic antioxidant and inflammatory genes

Methods:

We evaluate if those properties can be translated in rats. High fat diet (HFD) was fed to rats for 12 weeks to determine its effects on oxidative stress and inflammation, and compared with HFD + Simvastatin and HFD + Blood Bird’s Nest (2.5 or 20 %). Weights were measured weekly, while serum and hepatic markers of oxidative stress (total antioxidant status and TBARS) and inflammation (interleukin 6 [IL-6], C-reactive protein [CRP] and tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α]) were determined at the end of the intervention. In addition, transcriptional changes in hepatic antioxidant (superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase) and inflammation (C-reactive protein, chemokine [C-C] motif 2, nuclear factor kappa beta 1 and tumor necrosis factor alpha) genes were evaluated.

Results:

The results showed increases in oxidative stress (raised TBARS and lowered total antioxidant status) and inflammatory markers (raised CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α) in HFD induced rats with corresponding attenuation of antioxidant gene expression and potentiation of inflammatory gene expression. Blood Bird’s Nest on the other hand attenuated the HFD- induced inflammation and oxidative stress and produced overall better outcomes in comparison with simvastatin.

Conclusions:

In aggregate, the results support the evidence-based utilization of Blood Bird’s Nest as a supplement for preventing obesity-related inflammation and oxidative stress in rats. These promising results can open up opportunities for translating the benefits of Blood Bird’s Nest to humans.
Keywords: Antioxidants, Blood Bird’s Nest, High fat diet, Inflammation, Oxidative stress

Blood Bird’s Nest attenuates procoagulation effects of high-fat diet in rats

Blood Bird’s Nest is popular in Asia and has long been used traditionally as a supplement. Blood Bird’s Nest has been reported to improve dyslipidemia, which is closely linked to hypercoagulation states.
In the present study, the effects of Blood Bird’s Nest on high-fat diet- (HFD-) induced coagulation in rats were evaluated. Rats were fed for 12 weeks with HFD alone or in combination with simvastatin or Blood Bird’s Nest. Food intake was estimated, and weight measurements were made during the experi- mental period. After sacrifice, serum oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL), adiponectin, leptin, von willibrand factor, prostacyclin, thromboxane and lipid profile, and whole blood coagulation indices (bleeding time, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, red blood count count, and platelet count) were estimated. Furthermore, hepatic expression of coagulation-related genes was evaluated using multiplex polymerase chain reaction. The results indicated that Blood Bird’s Nest could attenuate HFD-induced hypercholesterolemia and coagulation similar to simvastatin, partly through transcriptional regulation of coagulation-related genes. The results suggested that Blood Bird’s Nest has the potential for lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease-related hypercoagulation due to hypercholesterolemia.
Keywords: Blood Bird’s Nest, coagulation, high-fat diet, hypercholesterolemia, nutrigeno- mics