Conclusion
Dietary SCC has the potential to eliminate atherosclerosis through regulating inflammation and cholesterol metabolism, and may be beneficial for the health of patients with cardiovascular disease.
Results
Male C57BL/6J obese mice were first used to explore the impact of SCC at different doses on alleviating lipid disorders and insulin sensitivity. Then ApoE-/- mice were used to evaluate the protective activities of SCC on atherosclerosis. The results demonstrated that dietary SCC increased the insulin sensitivity and reduced serum and hepatic lipid profiles in a dose-dependent manner in C57BL/6J mice. In ApoE-/- mice, SCC treatment significantly decreased the atherosclerotic lesion formation and attenuated inflammation by decreasing the levels of inflammatory cytokines, such as CRP, TNF-α, IL-6. Compared to the model group, the SCC group showed lower cholesterol levels in serum and liver by mediating the expression of genes related to hepatic LDL uptake and cholesterol excretion.