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Hypocholesterolemic Efficacy of Quercetin Rich Onion Juice in Healthy Mild Hypercholesterolemic Adults: A Pilot Study

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Abstract

Onion (Allium cepa L.) is widely employed as a food ingredient as well as traditional remedy to treat fever, burns, and scurvy. The present study focused on the modulator efficacy of the quercetin rich onion juice on lipid profile and antioxidant status in mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects. Twenty-four healthy subjects with mild hypercholesterolemia (≧200 mg/dL) were recruited and divided into two groups, and they consumed 100 mL of onion juice or placebo every day for 8 weeks. Fasting blood samples were collected at initial, 2nd, 6th, 8th, 10th week for estimating various biochemical assays, as well as anthropometric indices. After 8 weeks of intervention, onion juice greatly decreased (p < 0.05) waist circumference, total cholesterol and LDL-c. In addition, it elevates (p < 0.05) total antioxidation capacity and prolong lag-time of LDL oxidation were also noted. To conclude, drinking onion juice could markedly suppress cholesterol level and elevate total antioxidation capacity. Hence, onion juice was probably recommended for combating various cardiovascular diseases.

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Abbreviations

TC:

Total cholesterol

TG:

Triglyceride

HDL-c:

High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol

LDL-c:

Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol

EXP:

Experimental group

TEAC:

Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity

TBARS:

Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung City, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Tsong-Ming Lu

  2. Department of Chinese Medicine, Taichung Hospital Ministry of Health and Well-being, Taichung City, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Hui-Fang Chiu

  3. School of Health Diet and Industry Management, Chung Shan Medical University, 110, Sec. 1, Jianguo North Road, Taichung City, Taiwan, Republic of China

    You-Cheng Shen

  4. School of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical University, No. 110, Sec.1, Jianguo N. Rd, Taichung City, 40201, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Chia-Chun Chung, Kamesh Venkatakrishnan & Chin-Kun Wang

Authors
  1. Tsong-Ming Lu
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  2. Hui-Fang Chiu
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  3. You-Cheng Shen
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  4. Chia-Chun Chung
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  5. Kamesh Venkatakrishnan
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  6. Chin-Kun Wang
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Correspondence to Chin-Kun Wang.

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Lu, TM., Chiu, HF., Shen, YC. et al. Hypocholesterolemic Efficacy of Quercetin Rich Onion Juice in Healthy Mild Hypercholesterolemic Adults: A Pilot Study. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 70, 395–400 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-015-0507-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-015-0507-4

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