Plant-based foods rich in phenolic phytochemicals are among the promising strategies to counteract age-related changes in lipid profile. Aronia melanocarpa (AM) fruits are a rich source of phenolic compounds possessing lipid-modulating effects. The present study investigated the effect of 3-month supplementation of AM-based functional beverages on the lipid profile of healthy aging rats. Male Wistar rats (n = 40) were separated into five groups: (YC) young controls (2-month-old); (AC) adult controls (13-month-old); (A) adult animals supplemented with pure AM extract; (A + P) adult animals supplemented with pectin-enriched (1%) AM extract; (A + H) adult animals supplemented with AM extract enriched with a herbal mixture. Total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) and atherogenic indices were investigated at the end of the study. Adult controls demonstrated age-related dyslipidemia resulting in decreased HDL-C, and increased TG and TC/HDL index. The supplemented groups showed a significant increase in HDL-C levels: A + P (1.49 mmol/L) and A + H (1.61 mmol/L), respectively, vs. AC (1.09 mmol/L), p < 0.05. The TC/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C indices were decreased in the A + P and A + H groups in comparison to the AC group (p < 0.05). These results indicate that supplementation with polyphenol-rich AM beverages can successfully alter HDL-C levels and this effect is further potentiated by pectin and herbs.

Background: Endothelial dysfunction is increasingly recognized as an important early feature of vascular disease. As the damage to endothelium is a key underlying factor in the development and progression of atherosclerotic processes, markers of endothelial abnormalities have been sought. Increased expression of cell adhesion molecules (CA Ms) on the vascular endothelium has been postulated to play a significant role in atherogenesis. Both in vitro and in vivo studies have suggested that different risk factors of atherosclerosis may increase expression of CA Ms. The elevated level of soluble forms of CA Ms in circulation is associated with a higher risk to future cardiovascular events in subjects predisposed to atherosclerosis. Objective: To determine the reference range for serum concentration of soluble cell adhesion molecules - sICA M-1, sVCA M-1, sE-selectin, sP-selectin. Materia l and methods: We studied 110 healthy people of Bulgarian nationality aged 18-65. The selection criteria for the reference group were made in accordance with the requirements of the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry (IFCC ). Serum concentrations of CA Ms were analysed by means of EL ISA assay. Results: The results are presented as central 95% interval and 0.90 confidence interval of the reference range. Reference ranges were determined for sICA M-1 (128.9 - 347.48 ng/ml), sVCA M-1 (170.42 - 478.36 ng/ml), sE-selectin (9.15 - 65.19 ng/ml) and sP-selectin (101.86 - 209.7 ng/ml). As we found no sex-related differences in the CA Ms concentrations (p > 0.05) there needed to be no separate reference intervals for men and women. The single-factor dispersion analysis we used in analysing the effect of age found no agerelated dependence (p > 0.05, F = 1.038) for the serum CA M concentrations in the 18-65 age range, which means that it is not necessary to establish reference intervals for smaller age ranges in this age group. Conclusion: The reference ranges for sICA M-1, sVCA M-1, sE-selectin, sP-selectin computed in accordance with the results distribution can be used as baseline criteria in clinical laboratory studies.

The aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of Aronia melanocarpa fruit juice (AMJ) supplementation on age-related coronary arteries remodeled in aged rat hearts. Male Wistar rats (n = 24) were divided into three groups: (1) young controls (CY), aged 2 months, without AMJ supplementation; (2) old controls (CO), aged 27 months, without AMJ supplementation; and (3) the AMJ group (A), which used 27-month old animals, supplemented orally with AMJ for 105 days. AMJ supplementation did not influence the wall-to-diameter parameter (Kernohan index) of the coronary arteries of test animals. Aged rats supplemented with AMJ showed a significant decrease in the amount of collagen fibers in their coronary tunica media, as compared with the old controls. The intensity of the immunoreaction for alpha smooth muscle actin (αSMA) in the coronary tunica media was significantly lower in the supplemented group than in the old controls. The intensity of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) immunoreaction in the coronary tunica media of the supplemented group was significantly higher than the one observed in the old controls. These results indicate the positive effects of AMJ supplementation on the age-dependent remodeling of coronary arteries and support for the preventive potential of antioxidant-rich functional food supplementation in age-related diseases.