Protective effect of a litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.)-flower-water-extract on cardiovascular health in a high-fat/cholesterol-dietary hamsters

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the major cause of death in the developed countries. Litchi-flower-water-extract (LFWE) contains plenty of phytochemicals, i.e. phenols, flavonoids, tannins which may own cardio-protection. Ten male hamsters per group were assigned randomly to one of the following dietary groups: chow diet and normal distilled water (LFCD/NDW); high-fat/cholesterol diet and normal distilled water (HFCD/NDW); HFCD and 2.5% litchi-flower-water-extract (HFCD/2.5% LFWE); HFCD and 5% LFWE (HFCD/5% LFWE). Serum lipids, cardiac index, and hepatic lipids were lowered (p < 0.05) in high-fat/cholesterol-dietary hamsters by drinking 2.5% and 5% LFWE which may result from higher (p < 0.05) LDL receptor and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPAR-α) gene expressions and lower (p < 0.05) fatty acid synthase (FAS) gene expression, as well as increased (p < 0.05) faecal lipid and bile acid excretions. Drinking LFWE also lowered (p < 0.05) serum malondialdehyde (MDA) contents in high-fat/cholesterol-dietary hamsters, and even showed the same (p > 0.05) serum MDA contents as the LFCD/NDW group’s which could be due to increased (p < 0.05) serum trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC). Therefore, this study indicated that LFWE indeed characterises a protective effect on cardiovascular health in vivo.