Studies have demonstrated the cardiovascular protective properties of peanuts and peanut oil through the reduction of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) while maintaining healthy levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). The cardiovascular protective effects of fat free peanut flour have never been evaluated despite the fact flour contains arginine, flavonoids, folates and other compounds beneficial to cardiovascular health. In addition, there is a growing body of evidence suggesting unsaturated fatty acids and arginine may promote bone strength. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of fat free peanut flour and other peanut components on plasma cholesterol risk factors for cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis and bone strength in male Syrian golden hamsters. Seventy-six hamsters were randomly divided into four groups and each group was fed a different isocaloric diet for twenty-four weeks. Each experimental diet was a modification of the high fat and high cholesterol control diet. Modifications to the control diet were made by substituting fat free peanut flour (<0.5% oil), peanut oil or whole peanuts for similar metabolic components. Randomly selected hamsters from each diet group were euthanized at 0, 12, 18 and 24 weeks at which point blood plasma, aortas and femurs were collected. Plasma was analyzed for total plasma cholesterol (TPC) and lipoprotein distribution by high-performance gel chromatography. Aortic total cholesterol (TC), free cholesterol (FC) and cholesteryl ester (CE), a metabolic atherosclerosis indicator, were determined as mg/g protein. Hamsters consuming diets containing fat free peanut flour, peanut oil or whole peanuts had significantly lower TPC and LDL-C than the control group. There were no significant differences in HDL-C among any of the diet groups. Aortic TC, FC and CE were significantly lower in the fat free flour, peanut oil and peanut diet group hamsters compared to those in the control group. Results indicated peanuts, peanut oil and fat free peanut flour in diets reduced blood chemistry risk factors and slowed the development of atherosclerosis, as indicated by low levels of CE, in male Syrian golden hamsters fed a high fat and high cholesterol diet. The results for bone strength were variable and overall the effects of fat free peanut flour, peanut oil and whole peanuts on bone strength were inconclusive.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:NCSU/oai:NCSU:etd-05222008-160514 |
| Date | 29 May 2008 |
| Creators | Stephens, Amanda Mae |
| Contributors | Jonathan C Allen, Timothy H Sanders, Jack Odle |
| Publisher | NCSU |
| Source Sets | North Carolina State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/theses/available/etd-05222008-160514/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dis sertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to NC State University or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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