Effect of Sacha Inchi oil consumption on lipid profile in persons with Hypercholesterolemia

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading causes of death worldwide. In Thailand, the government is facing an increasing rate of CVDs patients which relatively increased health care budget. The burden of CVDs is now growing fast due to an epidemic obesity, poor diet, dyslipidemia, high blood pressure and rising of type 2 diabetes which considered as the major risk factors of CVDs. CVDs can be prevented by tackle those risk factors. Sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis Linneo), known as "Inca peanut", is a native plant to the Peruvian tropical forest of South America. Sacha inchi becomes an economic plant in Thailand as its nutshell contain high amount of antioxidant and people who consumed nutshell as tea experienced the lipid lowering effect. Moreover, its seed contain high amount of omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Previous study found that o-3 PUF As decreased risk of CVDs. However, study about direct effect of sacha inchi on lipid profile is still lacking. This study aimed to investigate the inhibitory activity of sacha inchi oil and extracts on HMG-CoA reductase and cholesterol esterase, the effects of sacha inchi oil on lipid profile of hypercholesterolemia subjects and the safety of sacha inchi oil consumption. The sacha inchi oil did not showed any direct inhibitory activity on HMG-CoA reductase and cholesterol esterase. In contrast, sacha inchi nutshell extract showed the highest HMG-CoA reductase inhibitory activity, 65% inhibition at the concentration of 125 pg/mL. Sacha inchi nutshell extract inhibited HMG- CoA reductase in dose dependent manner by uncompetitive inhibition mechanism. Moreover, sacha inhi nutshell and baby nut extracts revealed the inhibitory activity on cholesterol esterase for 38% and 25 % respectively. A randomized, double blind, crossover study conducted with 30 hypercholesterolemia (total cholesterol between 220 to 250 mg/dL) adults (age range: 30-55 years old). The study consisted of 2 treatment phases including 2 months each with a washout period of 2 months between the phases. Fifteen subjects randomly allocated to the "sacha inchi oil first" group and 15 to "soybean oil first" group and assigned to receive a dose of sacha inchi oil (1.38 ml or 1.16 g) or matched soybean oil three times a day. Body mass index (BMI), waist/hip (W/H) ratio, blood pressure (BP), fasting blood sugar (FBS), lipid profile, liver function test (LFT), renal function test (RFT) and completed blood cell count (CBC) were measured at baseline and at every month interval. Repeated measures analysis was applied to assess the period and carryover effects of the sacha inchi oil over control oil on measured parameters. Decreased of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels with the consequent increased of HDL-cholesterol level were observed in sacha inchi oil consumption period. However, consumption of sacha inchi oil for 2 months did not change any safety parameters (LFT, RFT and CBC) as well as BMI, BP, FBS and W/H ratio. The findings suggested that sacha inchi nutshell extract potentially used as lipid lowering substance due to the HMG-CoA reductase and cholesterol esterase activity. Moreover, sacha inchi oil supplement is safe and beneficial in improving lipid profile of hypercholesterolemia subjects and hence advised for consumption of hypercholesterolemia.