Skip to main content
Log in

Effect of onion juice supplementation on antioxidant status in participants with mild hypercholesterolemia

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Food Science and Biotechnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Hypercholesterolemia is known to be associated with enhanced oxidative stress related to increased lipid peroxidation. Several epidemiological and clinical studies have reported the benefits of consuming fruits and vegetables, leading to reduced risks for cardiovascular diseases and several types of cancers. Flavonoids are potential antioxidants found in foods such as onions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of decocted onion juice (about 300 g onion) supplementation for 10 weeks on antioxidant status in mild hypercholesterolemic subjects. Twenty-seven participants were studied in a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design. Indices of antioxidant status used were plasma total antioxidant capacity, antioxidant vitamins, LDL oxidation, erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme activity, and leukocyte DNA damage. After 10 weeks of consuming decocted onion juice, there were no significant differences in all the tested parameters. In conclusion we failed to find any antioxidant effect of onion supplementation in subjects with mild hypercholesterolemia.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Wald NJ, Law MR. Serum cholesterol and ischemic heart disease. Atherosclerosis 118: S1–S5 (1995)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Cox DA, Cohen ML. Effects of oxidized low-density lipoprotein on vascular contraction and relaxation: Clinical and pharmacological implications in atherosclerosis. Pharmacol. Rev. 48: 3–19 (1996)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Pritchard KA Jr, Groszek L, Smalley DM, Sessa WC, Wu M, Villalon P, Wolin MS, Stemerman MB. Native low-density lipoprotein increases endothelial cell nitric oxide synthase generation of superoxide anion. Circ. Res. 77: 510–518 (1995)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Keli SO, Hertog GL, Feskens EJM, Kromhout D. Dietary flavonoids, antioxidant vitamins, and incidence of stroke. Arch. Intern. Med. 154: 637–642 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Griffiths G, Trueman L, Crowther T, Thomas B, Smith B. Onions — A global benefit to health. Phytother. Res. 7: 603–615 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Lee HJ, Lee KH, Park E, Chung HK. Effect of onion extracts on serum cholesterol in borderline hypercholesterolemic participants. J. Korean Soc. Food Sci. Nutr. 39: 1783–1789 (2010)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Yang J, Meyers KJ, van der Heide J, Liu RH. Varietal differences in phenolic content and antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of onions. J. Agr. Food Chem. 52: 6787–6793 (2004)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Afanase’ev I, Dorozkho A, Broodskii A, Kostyuk V, Potapovitch A I. Chelating and free radical scavenging mechanisms of inhibitor action of rutin and quercetin lipid peroxidation. Biochem. Pharmacol. 38: 1763–1769 (1989)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Terao J, Piskula M, Yao Q. Protective effect of epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, and quercetin on lipid peroxidation in phospholipid bilayers. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 308: 278–284 (1994)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Duthie SJ, Collins AR, Duthie GG, Dobson VL. Quercetin and myricetin protect against hydrogen peroxide-induced DNA damage (strand breaks and oxidised pyrimidines) in human lymphocytes. Mutat. Res. 393: 223–231 (1997)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Boyle SP, Dobson VL, Duthie SJ, Kyle JAM, Collins AR. Absorption and DNA protective effects of flavonoid glycosides from an onion meal. Eur. J. Nutr. 39: 213–223 (2000)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Park JH, Seo BY, Park E, Lee KH. Onion supplementation inhibits lipid peroxidation and leukocyte DNA damage due to oxidative stress in high fat-cholesterol fed male rats. Food Sci. Biotechnol. 18: 179–184 (2009)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Jakob E, Elmadfa I. Rapid HPLC assay for assessment of vitamin K1, A, E, and beta-carotene status in children (7–19 years). Int. J. Vit. Nutr. Res. 65: 31–35 (1995)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Rice-Evans C, Miller NJ. Total antioxidant status in plasma and body fluids. Method. Enzymol. 234: 279–293 (1994)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Ahotupa M, Marniemi J, Lehtimäki T, Talvinen K, Raitakari O, Vasankari T, Viikari J, Luoma J, Ylä-Herttuala S. Baseline diene conjugation in LDL lipids as a direct measure of in vivo oxidation. Clin. Biochem. 31: 257–261 (1998)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Marklund S, Marklund G. Involvement of the superoxide anion radical in the autoxidation of pyrogallol and convenient assay for superoxide dismutase. Eur. J. Biochem. 47: 469–474 (1974)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Beutler E. A Mannual of Biochemical Methods. Grune and Stratton, New York, NY, USA. pp. 71–73 (1984)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Aebi H. Methods of Enzymatic Analysis. Verlag Chemie GmbH, Weinheim, Germany. pp. 673–684 (1974)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  19. Singh PN, McCoy MT, Tice RR, Schneider EL. A simple technique for quantitation of low levels of DNA damage in individual cells. Exp. Cell Res. 175: 184–191 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. KCDCP. The 3rd Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES IV), Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Osong, Korea (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Moon JH, Nakata R, Oshima S, Inakuma T, Terao J. Accumulation of quercetin conjugates in blood plasma after the short-term ingestion of onion by women. Am. J. Physiol. -Reg. I. 279: 461–467 (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  22. O’Reilly JD, Mallet AI, McAnlis GT, Young IS, Halliwell B, Sanders TA, Wiseman H. Consumption of flavonoids in onions and black tea: Lack of effect on F2-isoprostanes and autoantibodies to oxidized LDL in healthy humans. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 73: 1040–1044 (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Edwards RL, Lyon T, Litwin SE, Rabovsky A, Symons JD, Jalili T. Quercetin reduces blood pressure in hypertensive subjects. J. Nutr. 137: 2405–2411 (2007)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Lean ME, Noroozi M, Kelly I, Burns J, Talwar D, Sattar N, Crozier A. Dietary flavonols protect diabetic human lymphocytes against oxidative damage to DNA. Diabetes 48: 176–181 (1999)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Beatty ER, O’Reilly JD, England TG, McAnlis GT, Young IS, Geissler CA, Sanders TA, Wiseman H. Effect of dietary quercetin on oxidative DNA damage in healthy human subjects. Brit. J. Nutr. 84: 919–925 (2000)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Park H, Oyunzul G, Suh SW, Park YS, Jang JK, Chung MS, Choi YJ, Shim KS. Investigation of functional ingredients from onion according to the extraction methods heat treatment and storage period. Food Eng. Progress 13: 92–98 (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  27. McAnlis GT, McEneny J, Pearce J, Young IS. Absorption and antioxidant effects of quercetin from onions in man. Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 53: 92–96 (1999)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Hofmann T, Kuhnert A, Schubert A, Gill C, Rowland IR, Pool-Zobel BL, Glei M. Modulation of detoxification enzymes by watercress: In vitro and in vivo investigations in human peripheral blood cells. Eur. J. Nutr. 48: 483–491 (2009)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Giovannelli L, Pitozzi V, Luceri C, Giannini L, Toti S, Salvini S, Sera F, Souquet JM, Cheynier V, Sofi F, Mannini L, Gori AM, Abbate R, Palli D, Dolara P. Effects of de-alcoholised wines with different polyphenol content on DNA oxidative damage, gene expression of peripheral lymphocytes, and haemorheology: An intervention study in post-menopausal women. Eur. J. Nutr. 50: 19–29 (2011)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eunju Park.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jeon, GI., Shin, MJ., Lee, KH. et al. Effect of onion juice supplementation on antioxidant status in participants with mild hypercholesterolemia. Food Sci Biotechnol 22 (Suppl 1), 227–231 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-013-0071-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-013-0071-3

Keywords

Navigation