Food Therapy: Lentils Intake in Attenuated Risk and Progression of Atherosclerosis

Kyle J. Norton

Lentil intake may have a potential effect in reduced risk, progression and treatment of atherosclerosis, some scientists proposed.

Lentil, a type of pulse and tiny legumes that can be cooked quickly and rich in protein and fiber, is a bushy annual plant of genus Lens to the Fabaceaefamily, native to Middle East.

Atherosclerosis is a medical condition of plaque accumulated in the inner part of the arteries, leading to reduce levels of oxygen-rich and nurients blood to your heart and other parts of your body.

According to statistic, 13.8% of adults of 20 years and above were diagnosed with atherosclerosis in 2010 with motility rate of 32%, approximately.

In the study to examine a hydroalcoholic extract isolated from lentils activity in induction of hypocholesterolemic action and the potential prebiotic effect through evaluating the concentration of bile acids in the feces in an animal model, after 71 days of diet-induced hypercholesterolemia in rats, researchers found that application of lentil extract (LE) displays a significantly reduced cholesterol level by 16.8% and increased secretion of the level of bile acids in the feces of rats by induced production of prebiotic to selective stimulation of growth of  limited numbers of micro-bacteria  in the gut microbiota.

The improvement of lentil extract (LE) in lowering levels of cholesterol probably was attributed to prebiotic action induced by the extract in mediated α-glucans metabolism in probiotic bacteria in reduced serum cholesterol levels and β-glucans in enhanced good gut bacteria and reduced bad cholesterol accumulation.

There is a report suggested that intake oat fiber β-glucan levels of least 3 g per day can significant decrease the levels of saturated fats in the blood which has been found to contribute to substantial risk of heart disease.

Further observation also indicated that lentil extract (LE) increases function of digestive tract in decreased cholesterol absorption which can be viewed by examining greater bile acid presence in the animal feces.

After taking into account of other con founders, Dr. Micioni Di Bonaventura MV, the lead scientist postulated, "This new hydroalcoholic extract obtained from lentils was shown to possess hypocholesterolemic and prebiotic properties, and could have interesting applications in the field of nutraceuticals".

Additionally, in the testing of potential of high-Se lentils effect cultivated from the Canadian prairies as a therapeutic food to alter the outcome of arsenic (As)-enhanced atherosclerosis in male ApoE(-/-) mice exposed to a moderate level of As (200ppb) in their drinking water, and control mice on tap water received one of three lentil diets: Se-deficient (0.009mg/kg), Se-adequate (0.16mg/kg) or Se-high (0.3mg/kg), after 13 weeks, researchers indicated that mice group treated with moderate level of As demonstrated a elevated levels of plaque formatiom, accumulated in the aortic arch and sinus, in compared to a completely eliminated levels of As in the aortic arch of mice treated with Se-high lentil diet, but increased in As-exposed mice and on both the Se-deficient and Se-adequate diets.

Notably, observation of the ratio of high-density lipoprotein/low-density lipoprotein also indicated that selenium plays an important role in proatherogenic composition of serum lipids as the cholesterol levels were seen to increase in As-exposed mice and on both the Se-deficient and Se-adequate diets.

Moreover, mice groups exposured to As in both Se-deficient and Se-adequate diets also expressed significant levels of oxidative stress caused by over expression of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and decreased levels of antioxidant in compared to Se fortified diet mice group, measured by intralesional cellular composition and hepatic oxidative stress assays.

Indeed, adding High-Se lentils diet into human populations living in countries with As contamination of drinking water may be one of good application in protection against As-triggered atherosclerosis.

Taking altogether, intake of lentils with or without selenium fortification may be considered as a whole food therapeutic treatment in attenuated risk and progression of atherosclerosis, particularly, in high risk adults.

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Author Biography
Kyle J. Norton, Master of Nutrients
Health article writer and researcher; Over 10.000 articles and research papers have been written and published on line, including world wide health, ezine articles, article base, healthblogs, selfgrowth, best before it's news, the karate GB daily, etc.,.
Named TOP 50 MEDICAL ESSAYS FOR ARTISTS & AUTHORS TO READ by Disilgold.com Named 50 of the best health Tweeters Canada - Huffington Post
Nominated for shorty award over last 4 years
Some articles have been used as references in medical research, such as international journal Pharma and Bio science, ISSN 0975-6299.

Source
(1) Evaluation of the hypocholesterolemic effect and prebiotic activity of a lentil (Lens culinaris Medik) extract by Micioni Di Bonaventura MV1, Cecchini C2,3, Vila-Donat P4, Caprioli G4, Cifani C1, Coman MM2,3, Cresci A2,3, Fiorini D5, Ricciutelli M4, Silvi S2,3, Vittori S4, Sagratini G4.(PubMed)
(2) High-selenium lentil diet protects against arsenic-induced atherosclerosis in a mouse model by Krohn RM1, Lemaire M2, Negro Silva LF3, Lemarié C4, Bolt A2, Mann KK2, Smits JE5.(PubMed)