Utjecaj ekstrakta cvijeta trnine na homeostazu glukoze u normoglikemijskom i aloksanom induciranom hiperglikemijskom C57BL/6 mišu

Research background. The use of plants and their extracts in treatments of chronic diseases is widely known in traditional medicine. The aim of this study is to determine the effects of 10-day consumption of blackthorn (Prunus spinosa L.) flower extract on blood glucose, glycaemic load, serum α-amlyase activity and insulin concentration in normoglycaemic and hyperglycaemic (alloxan-induced) mice model. Experimental approach. Normoglycaemic and hyperglycaemic (treated with alloxan, 150 mg per kg body mass) C57BL/6 mice were administered daily, during 10 days, blackthorn flower extract by gavage. The sugar mass concentration within the extract was determined by HPLC analysis. In mice, blood and serum blood glucose concentrations, and oral glucose tolerance test were determined by blood glucometer. Serum insulin concentration was determined by ELISA assay and α-amylase activity by colourimetric assay. Results and conclusions. The blackthorn flower extract increased glucose concentrations in normoglycaemic mice by 30% after the 1st and 5th day and by 17% after the 10th day of consumption. It is a consequence of released sugars because sugar analysis revealed 59.8 mg/L monosaccharides, mainly fructose (55.7 mg/L) and glucose (24.3 mg/L) in the extract. On the contrary, the extract consumption reduced serum blood glucose in hyperglycaemic mice by 29% after 10 days of treatment. Oral glucose tolerance test also confirmed that in the hyperglycaemic group treated with blackthorn flower extract glucose homeostasis was improved and showed decrease in blood glucose. Serum insulin concentration increased by 49% and serum α-amylase activity by 46% after 10 days of treatment with blackthorn flower extract in hyperglycaemic group. Thus, it can be concluded that blackthorn flower extract improved glucose tolerance, enhanced insulin secretion and lowered serum α-amylase activity. Novelty and scientific contribution. The obtained results show for the first time the potential of blackthorn (Prunus spinosa L.) flower extract in hyperglycaemia management.Pozadina istraživanja. Primjena biljaka i njihovih ekstrakata u liječenju kroničnih bolesti nadaleko je poznata u tradicionalnoj medicini. Svrha je ovoga rada bila utvrditi utjecaj desetodnevne konzumacije ekstrakta cvijeta trnine na koncentraciju glukoze u krvi, glikemijsko opterećenje, aktivnost α-amilaze i koncentraciju inzulina u serumu normoglikemijskih i hiperglikemijskih (induciranih aloksanom) miševa. Eksperimentalni pristup. Normoglikemijski i hiperglikemijski (inducirani s 150 mg aloksana po kg tjelesne mase) C57BL/6 miševi tretirani su tijekom 10 dana ekstraktom cvijeta trnine. Koncentracija šećera u ekstraktu određena je HPLC analizom, a koncentracija glukoze u krvi i oralna podnošljivost glukoze (oralni glukoza tolerans test) ispitane su glukometrom. Koncentracija inzulina u serumu određena je ELISA testom, a aktivnost α-amilaze kolorimetrijskom metodom. Rezultati i zaključci. Ekstrakt cvijeta trnine povećao je koncentraciju glukoze u krvi u normoglikemijskom mišu za 30 % nakon prvog i petog dana, te za 17 % nakon desetog dana konzumacije. To je bila posljedica prisustva slobodnih šećera, što je potvrđeno analizom njihovog sastava, kojom je utvrđeno da ekstrakt sadržava 59,8 mg/L monosaharida, uglavnom fruktoze (55,7 mg/L) i glukoze (24,3 mg/L). Suprotno tome, tretman ekstraktom cvijeta trnine je nakon 10 dana smanjio koncentraciju glukoze u krvi hiperglikemijskog miša za 29 %. Oralni glukoza tolerans test potvrdio je da se u hiperglikemijskoj skupini tretiranoj ekstraktom poboljšala podnošljivost glukoze te da je brže uspostavljena njezina homeostaza. Koncentracija inzulina u serumu povećala se za 49 %, a aktivnost α-amilaze za 46 % nakon desetodnevnog tretmana hiperglikemijske skupine ekstraktom cvijeta trnine. Može se zaključiti da ekstrakt cvijeta trnine poboljšava podnošljivost glukoze, potiče lučenje inzulina te smanjuje aktivnost serumske α-amilaze. Novina i znanstveni doprinos. Dobiveni rezultati prvi put pokazuju mogućnost primjene ekstrakta cvijeta trnine u regulaciji hiperglikemije

Pretilost – međudjelovanje genoma i okoline

Obesity has become one of the major threats for public health in industrialised world among adults, but also among adolescents and children. It is influenced by the interaction of genes, nutrition, environment, and lifestyle. Environmental and lifestyle risk factors include foetal and lifelong environment, nutrient quality, chemical and microbial exposure, and psychical stress, all of which are important contributing influences. Removing or limiting chemical and pharmaceutical obesogens from human environment could make a difference in the growing epidemic of obesity. Additionally, nutrigenomics describes how modifications in individual diets can improve health and prevent chronic diseases, as well as obesity, by understanding the effects of a genetic profile in the interaction between food and increase in body weight. Furthermore, individual genetic variations in genome represent an individual′s predisposition for obesity. Therefore, the use of individual genetic information, avoiding obesogens, and a healthy lifestyle could help to improve the management of obesity and maintain a healthy weight.U industrijaliziranom svijetu među odraslim osobama, adolescentima i djecom pretilost je postala jedna od glavnih prijetnja za javno zdravlje ljudi. Njezina je pojavnost pod utjecajem međudjelovanja gena, prehrane, okoliša i načina života. Važni čimbenici rizika vezani su uz okolinu i način života, uključujući čimbenike prisutne već u okruženju fetusa te one prisutne tijekom cijeloga života kao što su kvaliteta prehrane, izloženost kemikalijama, mikroorganizmima i psihičkom stresu. Uklanjanje ili ograničavanje kemijskih tvari i lijekova koji uzrokuju pretilost iz ljudske okoline moglo bi utjecati na opadanje epidemije pretilosti. Dodatno, nutrigenomika opisuje kako se promjenama u prehrani pojedinca može poboljšati zdravstveno stanje i spriječiti razvoj kroničnih bolesti, uključujući i pretilost, a pritom je potrebno poznavati utjecaj genskog profila na međudjelovanje hrane i porasta tjelesne mase. Nadalje, genske varijacije u genomu pojedinih osoba stvaraju i njihovu predispoziciju za razvoj pretilosti. Stoga se zahvaljujući informacijama o genskom profilu pojedinca, izbjegavanjem tvari koje uzrokuju pretilost i zdravim načinom života može poboljšati kontrola pretilosti i održavati optimalna tjelesna masa

What is Nutrigenomics?

Uspjehom projekta sekvencioniranja ljudskog genoma, povećalo se razumijevanje uzroka, a time i prevencije različitih bolesti u ljudi. Spoznalo se da mijenjajući prehrambene navike možemo spriječiti pojavu nekih bolesti. Tako se na području istraživanja prehrane razvija nova disciplina, nutrigenomika. Taj novi smjer molekularne prehrane omogućuje upoznavanje pozadine interakcije hrane koju konzumiramo i našeg genetičkog profi la, a time nam daje i mogućnost razvoja novih načina liječenja i prevencije bolesti. U ovom radu opisani su osnovni ciljevi i metode nutrigenomike te njena praktična primjena u razvoju koncepta individualne prehraneThe success of sequencing the human genome has led to the increasing understanding of causes and thus the prevention of various human illnesses. It is understood that by adjusting ones dieting habits one can prevent disease appearance. Such knowledge has made way for a new discipline in the fi eld of nutrition research, nutrigenomics. This novel direction of molecular nutrition provides insight into the interaction of the food we consume and our genetic profi le, and therefore grants the possibility to develop new methods of treatment and disease prevention. This article encloses the description of the primary objective and the methods of nutrigenomics as well as its practical implementation in the development of an individual diet concept

Polifenoli iz vinskog taloga kao nove funkcionalne bioaktivne tvari za prevenciju oksidacijskog stresa i hiperlipidemije

The study examines the potential of wine industry by-product, the lees, as a rich mixture of natural polyphenols, and its physiological potential to reduce postprandial metabolic and oxidative stress caused by a cholesterol-rich diet in in vivo model. Chemical analysis of wine lees showed that their total solid content was 94.2 %. Wine lees contained total phenols, total nonflavonoids and total flavonoids expressed in mg of gallic acid equivalents per 100 g of dry mass: 2316.6±37.9, 1332.5±51.1 and 984.1±28.2, respectively. The content of total anthocyanins expressed in mg of cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalents per 100 g of dry mass was 383.1±21.6. Antioxidant capacity of wine lees determined by the DPPH and FRAP methods and expressed in mM of Trolox equivalents per 100 g was 259.8±1.8 and 45.7±1.05, respectively. The experiment lasted 60 days using C57BL/6 mice divided in four groups: group 1 was fed normal diet and used as control, group 2 was fed normal diet with added wine lees, group 3 was fed high-cholesterol diet (HCD), i.e. normal diet with the addition of sunflower oil, and group 4 was fed HCD with wine lees. HCD increased serum total cholesterol (TC) by 2.3-fold, triacylglycerol (TAG) by 1.5-fold, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) by 3.5-fold and liver malondialdehyde (MDA) by 50 %, and reduced liver superoxide dismutase (SOD) by 50 %, catalase (CAT) by 30 % and glutathione (GSH) by 17.5 % compared to control. Conversely, treatment with HCD and wine lees reduced TC and LDL up to 1.4 times more than with HCD only, with depletion of lipid peroxidation (MDA) and restoration of SOD and CAT activities in liver, approximating values of the control. HDL levels were unaffected in any group. Serum transaminase activity showed no hepatotoxic properties in the treatment with lees alone. In the proposed model, wine lees as a rich polyphenol source could be a basis for functional food products without alcohol.U radu je istražena moguća uporaba vinskog taloga, polifenolima bogatog otpadnog proizvoda u industriji vina, u prehrani i ispitan je njegov fiziološki učinak na smanjenje oksidacijskog stresa uzrokovanog konzumacijom hrane bogate kolesterolom na modelu in vivo. Kemijskom je analizom utvrđeno da je udjel čvrste tvari u vinskom talogu bio 94,2 %; ukupnih fenola 2316,6±37,9; neflavonoida 1332,5±51,1 i flavonoida 984,1±28,2 mg u 100 g suhe tvari, izražen kao ekvivalent galne kiseline. Udjel ukupnih antocijana bio je 383,11±21,6 mg u 100 g suhe tvari, izražen kao ekvivalent cijanidin-3-glukozida. Ukupni antioksidacijski potencijal određen pomoću metode DPPH bio je (259,8±1,8) mM Trolox ekvivalenta u 100 g suhe tvari, a pomoću metode FRAP (45,7±1,05) mM u 100 g suhe tvari. Kvalitativni udjel polifenola određen je HPLC-om. Miševi C57/Bl6 hranjeni su tijekom 60 dana jednim od tipova prehrane: (i) normalnom hranom (kontrolna skupina), (ii) hranom s dodatkom ekstrakta vinskog taloga (1 g suhe tvari po kg po danu), (iii) hranom s velikim udjelom kolesterola (2 % kolesterola u 2 mL ulja po životinji po danu), i (iv) hranom bogatom kolesterolom (kao skupina 3) s dodatkom ekstrakta vinskog taloga (kao skupina 2). Kolesterolom bogata ishrana povećala je (p<0,05) razinu ukupnog kolesterola u serumu za 2,3; triacilglicerida za 1,5; LDL kolesterola za 3,5 puta, zatim je povećala razinu malondialdehida u jetri (p<0,05) i reducirala aktivnost superoksid dismutaze za 50 %, katalaze za 30 % i glutationa za 17,5 % u odnosu na kontrolni uzorak. Ishrana bogata kolesterolom s dodatkom ekstrakta vinskog taloga smanjila je (p<0,05) razinu ukupnog i LDL kolesterola za 1,4 puta u odnosu na skupinu hranjenu hranom bogatom kolesterolom, uz smanjenje (p<0,05) razine lipidne peroksidacije (malondialdehida) i aktiviranje superoksid dismutaze i katalaze u jetri, s vrijednostima sličnim onima u kontrolnoj skupini. Vrijednosti HDL kolesterola nisu se mijenjale. Serumska aktivnost transaminaza nije pokazala hepatotoksičnost izolata vinskog taloga. U predloženom je eksperimentalnom modelu utvrđeno da je vinski talog bogat izvor polifenola, te da se može upotrijebiti za proizvodnju funkcionalne hrane bez alkohola

Združeni učinci valproata i naringina na antioksidacijske i serumske pokazatelje bubrežne funkcije u miševa soja C57BL6

Valproate is known to disturb the kidney function, and high doses or prolonged intake may cause serum ion imbalance, kidney tubular acidosis, proteinuria, hyperuricosuria, polyuria, polydipsia, and dehydration. The aim of this in vivo study was to see whether naringin would counter the adverse effects of high-dose valproate in C57Bl/6 mice and to which extent. As expected, valproate (150 mg/kg bw a day for 10 days) caused serum hyperkalaemia, more in male than female mice. Naringin reversed (25 mg/kg bw a day for 10 days) the hyperkalaemia and activated antioxidative defence mechanisms (mainly catalase and glutathione), again more efficiently in females. In males naringin combined with valproate was not as effective and even showed some prooxidative effects.Valproat je jedan od najčešće primjenjivanih antiepileptika, a poznato je da prouzročuje poremećenu funkciju proksimalnih bubrežnih tubula. Fiziološki poremećaji i nefrotoksični učinci u nekih bolesnika nakon visokih doza ili produljenog uzimanja valproata uključuju disbalans iona u serumu, bubrežnu tubularnu acidozu, proteinuriju, hiperurikozuriju, poliuriju, polidipsiju, dehidraciju i druge poremećaje. U okviru ovog eksperimentalnog rada primijenili smo visoke doze valproata i združeni tretman valproata i naringina u C57Bl/6 miševa. Naringin je poznati antioksidans i protuupalna flavonoidna molekula iz citrusnog voća. Cilj rada bio je utvrditi mogu li biološka svojstva naringina umanjiti štetne učinke na bubrege nakon tretmana valproatom. Valproat je in vivo prouzročio serumsku hiperkalijemiju, izraženiju u mužjaka nego u ženki miševa. Hiperkalijemija prouzročena valproatom bila je ublažena naringinom, a antioksidacijski obrambeni mehanizmi (uglavnom katalaza i smanjena glutationacija) bili su aktivirani, više u ženki. U mužjaka, zajednički tretman valproatom I naringinom nije bio tako učinkovit, a rezultati upućuju na moguće prooksidacijsko djelovanje u bubrežnom tkivu kada se obje tvari primjenjuju zajedno

Udjeli fenolnih spojeva, antioksidacijska aktivnost i kakvoća proizvoda od aronije (Aronia melanocarpa)

Chokeberries (Aronia melanocarpa) are rarely used in diet in Croatia but they have high content of polyphenolic compounds and one of the highest in vitro antioxidant activities among fruits. The aim of this study is to compare the quality, phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of diff erent chokeberry products (juices, powders, fruit tea, capsules and dried berries). It can be expected that processing infl uences antioxidant activity and phenolic content of fi nal products reaching consumers. Characterisation of phenolic compounds was carried out by using spectroscopic methods (Folin–Ciocalteu and pH differential methods). Antioxidant activity of chokeberry products was determined using 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) methods. The results show that the investigated products contain high amount of phenols (3002 to 6639 mg per L and 1494 to 5292 mg per 100 g of dry matt er) and lower amount of total anthocyanins (150 to 1228 mg per L and 141 to 2468 mg per 100 g of dry matt er). The examined juices and other chokeberry products possess high antioxidant capacity (12.09 to 40.19 mmol per L or 58.49 to 191.31 mmol per 100 g of dry matt er, respectively) and reducing power (38.71 to 79.86 mmol per L or 13.50 to 68.60 mmol per 100 g of dry matt er, respectively). On the basis of phenolic content and antioxidant activity, capsules and powders stand out among other products. The study indicates that there are signifi cant diff erences (p<0.05) in the quality, phenolic content and antioxidant capacity among examined products.Aronija (Aronia melanocarpa) se rijetko koristi u prehrani, iako sadržava velik udjel fenolnih spojeva i jednu od najvećih in vitro antioksidacijskih aktivnosti među voćem. U radu su određivana fizikalno-kemijska svojstva, udjel fenolih spojeva te antioksidativna aktivnost različitih proizvoda od aronije (sokovi, aronija u prahu, voćni čajevi, kapsule i sušene bobice). Očekivalo se da procesi obrade svježe aronije utječu na antioksidacijsku aktivnost i udjel fenolnih spojeva u proizvodima koji se plasiraju na tržište. Udjeli fenolnih spojeva određeni su spektrofotometrijski (pomoću Folin-Ciocalteu i pH diferencijalne metode). Antioksidacijska aktivnost proizvoda od aronije određena je primjenom DPPH i FRAP metoda. Dobivene su vrijednosti pokazale da proizvodi od aronije sadržavaju velik udjel fenola (3002,201-6639,741 mg/L soka odnosno 1494,036-5292,538 mg u 100 g suhe tvari proizvoda) i manji udjel ukupnih antocijana (150,459-1227.867 mg/L soka odnosno 141.459-2468,845 mg u 100 g suhe tvari proizvoda). Ispitani su proizvodi, a naročito proizvodi u obliku kapsula te aronija u prahu, imali izraženi antioksidacijski učinak, izmjeren pomoću DPPH radikala (12,092-40,194 mmol/L soka odnosno 58,493 do 191,311 mmol u 100 g suhe tvari proizvoda) te primjenom FRAP metode (38,708-79,858 mmol/L soka odnosno 13,503-68,604 mmol u 100 g suhe tvari proizvoda). Rezultati ovog istraživanja pokazuju da među proizvodima od aronije postoje bitne razlike (p<0,05) u udjelima fenolnih spojeva, antioksidacijskoj aktivnosti te parametrima kakvoće

Polyphenol bioavailability and modulatory potential on brain antioxidative markers in C57BL/6 mouse

Background and purpose: Prunus spinose L. is a traditionally consumed, recently scientifically reexamined plant. Brain bioavailability and functionality of polyphenols (PPH) of blackthorn flower extract (PSE) was investigated.Materials and methods: C57BL/6 mice received oral daily repeated doses of 25 mg/kg body weight of total PSE polyphenols for 28 days. Brain concentrations of individual polyphenols from PSE were determined by UPLC/MS on 1st,7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th day. Brain antioxidative defense markers were examined as indicators of functionality after bioaccumulation.Results: A total of 68.7% PPH present in PSE were detected in the brain. Higher (p≤0.05) Cmax/AUClast in the PSE treatment vs. control group was recorded for 59.1% of brain detected compounds, indicating relatively good bioaccumulation in the brain. The highest present compounds in PSE were not necessarily the ones mostly bioapsorbed in the brain. Kaempherols were not significantly distributed, opposite to phenolic acids, quercetins or epicgaloatechin-3-gallate. The compounds with the highest concentrations on 28th day were 4-p-coumaroylquinonic acid, (-)-epicatechin, quercetin-3-O-rutinoside, quercetin–rhamnoside, kaempherol-3-rutinoside and quercetin-3-gucoside. Brain lipid peroxidation (MDA) decreased (p&lt;0.05) on the 21st and 28th day in the PSE group. Increase (p&lt;0.05) in GSH concentration was observed on the 21st and 28th and SOD activity on the 28th day. Catalase activity was unchanged. It could be hypothesized that highest PPH concentration-ratios, caused reduction of lipid peroxidation by radical scavenging and simultaneous induction of glutathione and SOD pathways.Conclusions: Screened compounds could be candidates for examining or creation of brain targeted “neuro-nutriceuticals” polyphenol mixtures

Interakcija naringina s valproatom u regulaciji dislipidemije u C57BL/6 miševa

Valproate is a common antiepileptic drug whose adverse effects include liver steatosis and dyslipidaemia. The aim of our study was to see how natural flavonoid antioxidant naringin would interact with valproate and attenuate these adverse effects. For this reason we treated male C57BL/6 mice with a combination of 150 mg/kg of valproate and 25 mg/kg naringin every day for 10 days and compared their serum triglycerides, cholesterol, LDL, HDL, VLDL, and liver PPAR-alpha, PGC-1 alpha, ACOX1, Nrf2, SOD, CAT, GSH, and histological signs of steatosis. Valproate increased lipid peroxidation parameters and caused pronounced microvesicular steatosis throughout the hepatic lobule in all acinar zones, but naringin co-administration limited steatosis to the lobule periphery. In addition, it nearly restored total serum cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides and liver ACOX1 and MDA to control levels. and upregulated PPAR-alpha and PGC-1 alpha, otherwise severely downregulated by valproate. It also increased SOD activity. All these findings suggest that naringin modulates key lipid metabolism regulators and should further be investigated in this model, either alone or combined with other lipid regulating drugs or molecules.Valproat je najčešće korišten antiepileptik, čiji štetni učinci uključuju masnu jetru (steatozu) i dislipidemiju. Cilj istraživanja bio je utvrditi kako će prirodni flavonoid i antioksidans naringin u interakciji s valproatom ublažiti navedene štetne učinke. Mužjaci miševa C57BL/6 bili su svakodnevno tijekom 10 dana izloženi valproatu u dozi od 150 mg/kg i naringinu u dozi od 25 mg/kg te njihovim međusobnim kombinacijama u istim dozama. Nakon pokusnog razdoblja usporedili smo razinu serumskih triglicerida, kolesterola, LDL, HDL i VLDL, jetrene markere PPAR-alfa, PGC-1 alfa, ACOX1 i Nrf2 te antioksidacijske markere SOD, CAT i GSH u jetri. Svaka je jetra analizirana histološki. Valproat je povećao parametre peroksidacije lipida i izazvao izraženu mikrovezikularnu steatozu u cijelom jetrenom lobulu u svim acinarnim zonama, ali je istodobna primjena naringina ograničila steatozu na periferiju lobula. Osim toga, naringin je uspostavio normalnu ravnotežu serumskoga kolesterola, LDL i triglicerida te jetrenih markera PPAR-alfa i PGC-1 alfa, ACOX1 i MDA. Također je povećao aktivnost SOD-a. Svi ovi nalazi upućuju na to da naringin modulira ključne regulatore metabolizma lipida i da ga treba dalje istražiti u ovome modelu, bilo samog ili u kombinaciji s drugim lijekovima ili molekulama za regulaciju lipida

Ružička days : International conference 16th Ružička Days “Today Science – Tomorrow Industry” : Proceedings

Proceedings contains articles presented at Conference divided into sections: open lecture (1), chemical analysis and synthesis (3), chemical and biochemical engineering (8), food technology and biotechnology (8), medical chemistry and pharmacy (3), environmental protection (11) and meeting of young chemists (2)

Polyphenols from Wine Lees as a Novel Functional Bioactive Compound in the Protection Against Oxidative Stress and Hyperlipidaemia

The study examines the potential of wine industry by-product, the lees, as a rich mixture of natural polyphenols, and its physiological potential to reduce postprandial metabolic and oxidative stress caused by a cholesterol-rich diet in in vivo model. Chemical analysis of wine lees showed that their total solid content was 94.2 %. Wine lees contained total phenols, total nonflavonoids and total flavonoids expressed in mg of gallic acid equivalents per 100 g of dry mass: 2316.6±37.9, 1332.5±51.1 and 984.1±28.2, respectively. The content of total anthocyanins expressed in mg of cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalents per 100 g of dry mass was 383.1±21.6. Antioxidant capacity of wine lees determined by the DPPH and FRAP methods and expressed in mM of Trolox equivalents per 100 g was 259.8±1.8 and 45.7±1.05, respectively. The experiment lasted 60 days using C57BL/6 mice divided in four groups: group 1 was fed normal diet and used as control, group 2 was fed normal diet with added wine lees, group 3 was fed high-cholesterol diet (HCD), i.e. normal diet with the addition of sunflower oil, and group 4 was fed HCD with wine lees. HCD increased serum total cholesterol (TC) by 2.3-fold, triacylglycerol (TAG) by 1.5-fold, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) by 3.5-fold and liver malondialdehyde (MDA) by 50 %, and reduced liver superoxide dismutase (SOD) by 50 %, catalase (CAT) by 30 % and glutathione (GSH) by 17.5 % compared to control. Conversely, treatment with HCD and wine lees reduced TC and LDL up to 1.4 times more than with HCD only, with depletion of lipid peroxidation (MDA) and restoration of SOD and CAT activities in liver, approximating values of the control. HDL levels were unaffected in any group. Serum transaminase activity showed no hepatotoxic properties in the treatment with lees alone. In the proposed model, wine lees as a rich polyphenol source could be a basis for functional food products without alcohol