Blueberry/ Bilberry ingredient may lower cholesterol

27th Aug 2004

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - An antioxidant found in blueberries, bilberries and grapes appears to lower cholesterol as effectively as a commercial drug, according to preliminary study findings released Monday.

The investigators found that the blueberry compound, called pterostilbene, activates a cellular structure that helps lower cholesterol -- the same mode of action as the cholesterol-lowering drug ciprofibrate, sold under the name Lipanor.

These findings suggest that the natural compound may lower cholesterol just as well as this and other drugs, study author Dr. Agnes M. Rimando told Reuters Health.

The cellular structure targeted by pterostilbene, known as the PPAR-alpha receptor, "is actually the target site for a lot of lipid-lowering drugs," she said.

As a bonus, Rimando added that she has not yet found any side effects associated with pterostilbene. "So far, in preliminary studies, it didn't show any toxicity," she said.

Rimando, who presented her findings during the 228th national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Philadelphia, said she is currently investigating how much pterostilbene people would have to eat -- either in the form of blueberries or a supplement -- in order to get its anti-cholesterol benefits.

"Hopefully, within the next 6 months, I can tell the world 'this is how much you need to eat,'" the researcher, who is based at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service in Mississippi, said in an interview.

During the study, Rimando and her colleagues exposed rat cells to four blueberry compounds, and noted which compounds appeared to activate the PPAR-alpha receptor. The researchers found that the winner was pterostilbene, which activated the receptor as much as ciprofibrate.

Pterostilbene also appeared more effective than resveratrol, another antioxidant found in grapes and red wine, which studies have suggested may also lower cholesterol.

The blueberry compound may also do more than just lower cholesterol, Rimando said, for it appears to mimic the action of ciprofibrate, which also lowers triglycerides. Moreover, previous research has suggested that pterostilbene may protect against diabetes and help fight cancer.

 

By Alison McCook

 

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