Abstract
We investigated dietary effects of prickly pear cactus (Opuntina ficus-indica) on plasma lipids, platelet aggregation (PA), hemolysis, plasma TBARS and liver enzymes. Twenty eight volunteer diving women in Jeju island had daily 20 g cactus tea containing 27% prickly pear cactus (PPC) powder for 4 weeks, and data for the study subjects were analyzed, on the basis of diagnostic criteria for blood pressure (BP)(≥ 140/90 mmHg), plasma cholesterol (≥ 200 mg/dL) and triglyceride (≥ 150 mg/dL). The subjects with higher BP had higher plasma total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) concentrations than those with normal BP. Those with higher TC also had higher TG. Subjects with normal BP or normal TC had higher initial slope of PA than their higher counterpart in BP and TC. PPC intake decreased plasma TG in those with higher BP. PPC intake significantly decreased the elevated initial slope in groups with normal BP, TC, and TG. Hemolysis after PPC intake decreased significantly in all the subjects and plasma TBARS decreased in the subjects with higher plasma TC and higher TG. Glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) significantly increased and total bilirubin significantly decreased in all the subjects after PPC intake. The present study with diving women showed that beneficial effects of short term intake of prickly pear cactus might differ depending on the subject conditions in term of blood pressure, and plasma lipids. However, long term usage of prickly pear cactus may provide preventive effects of cardiovascular diseases to all the population, presumably by hypolipidemic, antithrombotic, and antioxidant actions of its bioactive flavonoids and soluble fiber.
Figures and Tables
Fig. 1
Comparison of plasma lipids before and after prickly pear cactus intake based on diagnostic criteria for blood pressure (BP), total-cholesterol (T-chol), and triglyceride (TG). *: p < 0.05.
![kjn-45-462-g001](/upload/SynapseData/ArticleImage/0124kjn/kjn-45-462-g001.jpg)
Fig. 2
Comparison of hernatocrit and platelet aggregation before and after prickly pear cactus intake based on diagnostic criteria for blood pressure (BP), total-cholesterol (T-chol), and triglyceride (TG). *: p < 0.05, **: p < 0.01.
![kjn-45-462-g002](/upload/SynapseData/ArticleImage/0124kjn/kjn-45-462-g002.jpg)
Fig. 3
Comparison of hemolysis and plasma TBARS before and after prickly pear cactus intake based on diagnostic criteria for blood pressure (BP), total-cholesterol (T-chol), and triglyceride (TG). *: p < 0.05, **: p < 0.01.
![kjn-45-462-g003](/upload/SynapseData/ArticleImage/0124kjn/kjn-45-462-g003.jpg)
Fig. 4
Comparison of plasma GOT, GPT, alkaline phosphatase, and T-bilirubin before and after prickly pear cactus intake based on diagnostic criteria for blood pressure (BP), total-cholesterol (T-chol), and triglyceride (TG). *: p < 0.05, **: p < 0.01.
![kjn-45-462-g004](/upload/SynapseData/ArticleImage/0124kjn/kjn-45-462-g004.jpg)
Table 1
Comparison of clinical data based on diagnostic criteria for blood pressure, plasma T-cholesterol and triglyceride before prickly pear cactus intake
![kjn-45-462-i001](/upload/SynapseData/ArticleImage/0124kjn/kjn-45-462-i001.jpg)
1) Initial slope of platelet aggregation expressed as % increase in light transmission for the first one minute of aggregation 2) Maxinum platelet aggregation expressed as % light transmission at the point where aggregates dissociated 3) Hemolysis (%) measured after 6 hours incubation in phosphate buffered saline
*: p < 0.05, **: p < 0.01, ***: p < 0.001 by Student's t-test
References
1. Kim CM, editor. Encyclopedia of Chinese Medicine, Vol. 5. 1997. Seoul: Jung-Dam Publishing Co.;2341–2343.
2. Lee YC, Hwang KH, Han DH, Kim SD. Compositions of Opuntia ficus-indica. Korean J Food Sci Technol. 1997. 29(5):847–853.
3. Kuti JO. Antioxidant compounds from four Opuntia cactus pear fruit varieties. Food Chem. 2004. 85(4):527–533.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
4. El Kossori RL, Villaume C, El Boustani E, Sauvaire Y, Méjean L. Composition of pulp, skin and seeds of prickly pears fruit (Opuntia ficus indica sp.). Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 1998. 52(3):263–270.
5. Ramadan MF, Mörsel JT. Recovered lipids from prickly pear [Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill] peel: a good source of polyunsaturated fatty acids, natural antioxidant vitamins and sterols. Food Chem. 2003. 83(3):447–456.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
6. Fernandez ML, Lin EC, Trejo A, McNamara DJ. Prickly pear (Opuntia sp.) pectin reverses low density lipoprotein receptor suppression induced by a hypercholesterolemic diet in guinea pigs. J Nutr. 1992. 122(12):2330–2340.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
7. Kang MS, Kang JS. Hypocholesterolemic effect of tangerine pulp, sea tangle or prickly pear cactus on lipid level, intestinal cholesterol absorption, platelet aggregation and liver tissue in hypercholesterolemic rats. Korean J Nutr. 2001. 34(2):141–149.
8. Kritchevsky D, Chen SC. Phytosterols-health benefits and potential concerns: a review. Nutr Res. 2005. 25(5):413–428.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
9. Desai F, Ramanathan M, Fink CS, Wilding GE, Weinstock-Guttman B, Awad AB. Comparison of the immunomodulatory effects of the plant sterol β-sitosterol to simvastatin in peripheral blood cells from multiple sclerosis patients. Int Immunopharmacol. 2009. 9(1):153–157.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
10. Schepetkin IA, Xie G, Kirpotina LN, Klein RA, Jutila MA, Quinn MT. Macrophage immunomodulatory activity of polysaccharides isolated from Opuntia polyacantha. Int Immunopharmacol. 2008. 8(10):1455–1466.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
11. Wang S, Melnyk JP, Tsao R, Marcone MF. How natural dietary antioxidants in fruits, vegetables and legumes promote vascular health. Food Res Int. 2011. 44(1):14–22.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
12. Franke AA, Custer LJ, Arakaki C, Murphy SP. Vitamin C and flavonoid levels of fruits and vegetables consumed in Hawaii. J Food Compost Anal. 2004. 17(1):1–35.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
13. Allegra M, Furtmüller PG, Jantschko W, Zederbauer M, Tesoriere L, Livrea MA, Obinger C. Mechanism of interaction of betanin and indicaxanthin with human myeloperoxidase and hypochlorous acid. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2005. 332(3):837–844.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
14. Wang CQ, Yang GQ. Betacyanins from Portulaca oleracea L. ameliorate cognition deficits and attenuate oxidative damage induced by D-galactose in the brains of senescent mice. Phytomedicine. 2010. 17(7):527–532.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
15. Sakong J. Diving patterns and diving related disease of diving fishermen in Korea. Korean J Prev Med. 1998. 31(1):139–156.
16. Draper HH, Csallany AS. A simplified hemolysis test for vitamin E deficiency. J Nutr. 1969. 98(4):390–394.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
17. Yagi K. A simple fluorometric assay for lipoperoxide in blood plasma. Biochem Med. 1976. 15(2):212–216.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
18. Karthikeyan G, Teo KK, Islam S, McQueen MJ, Pais P, Wang X, Sato H, Lang CC, Sitthi-Amorn C, Pandey MR, Kazmi K, Sanderson JE, Yusuf S. Lipid profile, plasma apolipoproteins, and risk of a first myocardial infarction among Asians: an analysis from the INTERHEART Study. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2009. 53(3):244–253.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
19. de Freitas EV, Brandão AA, Pozzan R, Magalhães ME, Fonseca F, Pizzi O, Campana E, Brandão AP. Importance of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels to the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the elderly. Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2011. 52(2):217–222.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
20. von Lewinski F, Riggert J, Paulus W. Towards a rationale of platelet aggregation monitoring in stroke prophylaxis. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 2009. 18(2):111–115.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
21. Lukasik M, Dworacki G, Michalak S, Kufel-Grabowska J, Golanski J, Watala C, Kozubski W. Aspirin treatment influences platelet-related inflammatory biomarkers in healthy individuals but not in acute stroke patients. Thromb Res. 2011. 128(5):e73–e80.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
22. Chello M, Spadaccio C, Patti G, Lusini M, Barbato R, Goffredo C, Di Sciascio G, Covino E. Simvastatin reduces platelet-endocardium adhesion in atrial fibrillation. Atherosclerosis. 2008. 197(2):588–595.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
23. Wolfram R, Budinsky A, Efthimiou Y, Stomatopoulos J, Oguogho A, Sinzinger H. Daily prickly pear consumption improves platelet function. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2003. 69(1):61–66.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
24. Alimi H, Hfaeidh N, Bouoni Z, Sakly M, Ben Rhouma K. Protective effect of Opuntia ficus indica f. inermis prickly pear juice upon ethanol-induced damages in rat erythrocytes. Alcohol. 2012. 46(3):235–243.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)