Anti-atherosclerosis effect of pine nut oil in high-cholesterol and high-fat diet fed rats and its mechanism studies in human umbilical vein endothelial cells

The objective of this study was to determine the anti-atherosclerotic effects of pine nut oil in rats fed a high-cholesterol and high-fat diet (HCHF). Using a randomized block design, Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups and fed experimental diets for 6 weeks (normal diet, HCHF, HCHF+7 or 15% pine nut oil, HCHF+simvastatin). This study shows that markers of atherosclerosis, such as increased liver thiobarbituric acid reactive substance levels, aortic fatty streak area, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations, were lower in the HCHF plus pine nut oil groups than in the HCHF group. Conversely, positive cardiovascular indicators, such as increased paraoxonase activity and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations, were higher in HCHF plus pine nut oil groups than in the HCHF group. This study suggests that pine nut oil improves atherosclerotic markers and could be used as a functional ingredient in the food industry to promote cardiovascular health.