Abstract
Hyperlipidemia especially low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is a major risk factor for developing ischemic heart disease. Soluble dietary fiber has lipid lowering characteristics. Gum Arabic (GA) is 95% soluble fiber calculated on dry bases. The beneficial effect of GA on lipid profile needs further verification. A case–control study was conducted at Omdurman Hospital, Sudan to assess the effect of G A on serum lipids in patients with hyperlipidemia. Cases received a 20 mg tablet of atorvastatin /day plus 30 mg of GA for 4 weeks while the controls received atorvastatin only. Levels of lipids in serum were assessed according to conventional methods before and 1 month after the trial. There is no significant difference in the basic characteristics between the study and the control groups (55 patients in each arm of the study). While there was no significant difference in the levels of HDL, there was a significant reduction of the total cholesterol (25.9 vs. 7.8%, P < 0.001), triglyceride (38.2 vs. 2.9%, P < 0.001), and LDL (30.8 vs. 8.1%, P < 0.001) before and after the intervention in the study compared to the controls groups.
Highlights
It has been shown that elevated cholesterol level -especially low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)–is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD) which is a leading cause of death worldwide
Patients A case–control was conducted at Omdurman Hospital Sudan during the period of June–December 2012 where patients with hyperlipidemia, HDL < 40 mg/dl, triglyceride > 150 mg/dl were enrolled to the study
Using computer generated number and sealed envelopes patients were assigned to the study group received atorvastatin tablet, 20 mg plus 30 mg of Gum Arabic (GA) which was a natural gum provided in a powder form by the expertise “Dar Savanna Ltd
Summary
It has been shown that elevated cholesterol level -especially low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)–is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD) which is a leading cause of death worldwide. The Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) issued an evidence-based set of guidelines on cholesterol management in which they encouraged use of viscous (soluble) fiber (e.g., oats, guar, pectin, and psyllium) as therapeutic dietary options to enhance lowering of LDL cholesterol in primary and secondary prevention of CHD(NCEP, 2002) Gum Arabic (GA) which is mixture of polysaccharides, oligosaccharides and glycoproteins is exudates of Acacia Senegal/seyal trees (Anderson and Stoddart, 1966; Goodrum et al, 2000). GA is defined by the FAO/WHO Joint Expert Committee as an exudation obtained from the stems of Acacia Senegal or closely related other species of Acacia (FAO/WHO, 1969; FAO, 1990). It is water soluble; it is used as an emulsifier, thickening substance and flavor stabilizer in many pharmaceutical and food industries (Dziezak, 1991). GA is indigestible to humans, but following its fermentation in the colon short-chain fatty acids are produced that can lead a lot of benefits such as prebiotic effect, increases in Bifidobacteria, Lactobacteria, and Bacteriodes reflecting a prebiotic effect (Calame et al, 2008; Phillips et al, 2008; Phillips and Phillips, 2011), anticarcinogenic effect and anti-oxidant effect (Sharma, 1985; Al-Majed et al, 2002; Ali et al, 2003; Nasir et al, 2010)
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