Grape Seed Proanthocyanidin Extract Alleviates Cold Stress-Induced Hyperlipidemia and Lipid Peroxidation in the Aging Rat Heart

Hyperlipidemia under cold stress can increase the risk of atherosclerosis and oxidative stress in the heart. Objectives: We investigated two models of cold stress on serum corticosterone (CORT), plasma total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), triglycerides (TG), high density lipoprotein (HDL), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC), along with blood glucose (BG) and blood lactate (BLa) in male Wistar rats aged 3 (adult), 12 (late-adult), and 24 (old) months. Methods: Rats were grouped into: control (CON) at 25�2oC, supplemented control (CON+PA), chronic cold exposure (CCS) that lasted 60 minutes daily at 10oC for 14 days, acute cold exposure (ACS) with single bout of cold stress at 10oC and animals supplemented with grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE) and exposed to CCS (CCS+PA) and ACS (ACS+PA). Results: CORT, BG, and BLa levels increased for all age groups exposed to either form of cold stress, with the highest increases found in the ACS group. Further, increases in TC, LDL, VLDL, and TG and plasma atherogenic index accompanied decreases in TAC. These changes were greatest under ACS than CCS. Also, old showed more stress to cold exposure than adults or late-adults. Conclusions: Age was significantly correlated with serum corticosterone and cardiac malondialdehyde, BG, and BLa. GSPE alleviate cold stress-induced hyperlipidemia, implying its antioxidant property, which may reduce the possible risk of atherosclerosis, especially in old rats.