Effect of Rhus Coriaria Consumption with High Cholesterol Food on Some Atherosclerosis Risk Factors in Rabbit

Consumption of high fat meal causes a sudden increase in blood lipids, oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction. Sumac has antioxidant activity and this study was aimed to determine the effect of sumac consumption on some atherosclerosis risk factors due to high fat food stress in rabbits. In an experimental study, 24 male New Zealand rabbits were randomly designated into three groups: normal diet group, a diet containing 1% cholesterol, a diet containing 1% cholesterol with 2% Sumac powder. Oxidative stress and atherosclerosis risk factors, including glucose, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), apolipoprotein B (ApoB), low density lipoprotein (LDL), nitrite, nitrate, fibrinogen, factor VII, liver transaminases (ALT and AST) were measured before the experiment and 3 hours after feeding. High cholesterol food (1%) increased TC, fibrinogen, TG, glucose, nitrate, LDL-C, ALT and AST (p<0.05). Consumption of sumac caused a significant decrease in glucose (30.15%), LDL-C (58.17%), TC (29.5%), ALT (20.55%), AST (17.46%) and fibrinogen (17.92%) compared to hypercholesterolemic diet group (p<0.05). No significant difference was found between sumac group and hypercholesterolemic diet group in triglyceride (TG), factor VII, nitrite, nitrate and ApoB. The results of this study showed that acute consumption of sumac might have a protective effect on some of risk factors of atherosclerosis, oxidative stress and liver enzymes, due to high fat food stress.