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Effects of fermented Sorghum bicolor L. Moench extract on inflammation and thickness in a vascular cell and atherosclerotic mice model

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Abstract

Atherosclerosis is a major cause of coronary heart disease. As a result of the development of atherosclerotic lesions, the walls of blood vessels become thicker and inhibit blood circulation. Atherosclerosis is caused by a high-fat diet and vascular injury. Chronic arterial inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. In particular, secretion of the pro-atherogenic cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α induces expression of endothelial adhesion molecules including P-selectin, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), which mediate attachment of circulating monocytes and lymphocytes. In this study, we examined the anti-atherosclerotic effect of sorghum, which is known to have anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. A 50% ethanol extract of Sorghum bicolor L. Moench fermented with Aspergillus oryzae NK (fSBE) was used for experiments. In vitro expression of endothelial adhesion molecules VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 and pro-inflammatory factor cyclooxygenase-2 was significantly decreased and that of the anti-atherogenic factor heme oxygenase-1 significantly increased by fSBE (P < 0.05). At the in vivo level, we examined fat droplets of liver tissue, and aortic thickness via histological analysis, and determined the blood lipid profile through chemical analysis. fSBE at a dose of 200 mg/kg significantly improved blood and vascular health (P < 0.05). Taken together, these results demonstrate that fSBE has potential as a therapeutic anti-atherosclerotic agent.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy (MOTIE), Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT) through the Encouragement Program for The Industries of Economic Cooperation Region (R0000429).

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Correspondence to Se Chan Kang.

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Ham, Y.M., Song, H.S., Kwon, J.E. et al. Effects of fermented Sorghum bicolor L. Moench extract on inflammation and thickness in a vascular cell and atherosclerotic mice model . J Nat Med 73, 34–46 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-018-1231-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-018-1231-9

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