Prickly pear induces upregulation of liver LDL binding in familial heterozygous hypercholesterolemia

Barbara Palumbo; Yannis Efthimiou; Jorgos Stamatopoulos; Anthony Oguogho; Alexandra Budinsky; Renato Palumbo; Helmut Sinzinger

Vol 6, No 1 (2003)

Submitted: 2012-01-23

Published online: 2003-01-03

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Prickly pear induces upregulation of liver LDL binding in familial heterozygous hypercholesterolemia

Barbara Palumbo, Yannis Efthimiou, Jorgos Stamatopoulos, Anthony Oguogho, Alexandra Budinsky, Renato Palumbo, Helmut Sinzinger

Nucl. Med. Rev 2003;6(1):35-39.

Vol 6, No 1 (2003)

Submitted: 2012-01-23

Published online: 2003-01-03

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The hypoglycemic effect of prickly pear is well known by native local Indian population since a long time. Beside the beneficial effects on lipid metabolism, oxidation injury and platelet function has been claimed in experimental animals. We recently found an upregulation of apo-B/E receptor.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: We therefore examined 10 patients with isolated heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) being enrolled in a dietary run-in phase of 6 weeks after dietary counselling and a further 6 weeks of prickly pear addition. Uptake of autologous ¹²³I-radiolabeled LDL was determined at entry as well as after 6 weeks of daily prickly pear ingestion.
RESULTS: We found a significant (p < 0.0001) increase in LDL-uptake by the liver (24.5 ± 4.9 vs. 31.1 ± 5.2%) and an enhanced decay in circulating blood. Total (298.0 → 268.0 mg/dl; p < 0.0001) and LDL-cholesterol (210.5 → 176.4 mg/dl; p = 0.0001) were significantly affected, while HDL (p = 0.0629) and triglycerides were not.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate a significant upregulation of ¹²³I-LDL binding by prickly pear in FH-patients invivo and indicate that prickly pear exerts a significant hypolipidemic action via receptor upregulation.