Propolis Improves Good Cholesterol Count; Diminishes Risks of Atherosclerosis

Bee products are good for animals and humans. Note: they used the liquid version of Propolis, a concentrated extract... 

Ethanolic Extract of Propolis Promotes Reverse Cholesterol Transport and the Expression of ATP-Binding Cassette Transporter A1 and G1 in Mice

Lipids

Yang Yu, Yanhong Si, Guohua Song, Tian Luo, Jiafu Wang and Shucun Qin

Abstract
The ethanolic extract of propolis (EEP) is beneficial in increasing high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (HDL-C) and diminishing risks of atherosclerosis. In this study, we examined the effects of EEP on reverse cholesterol transport in mice. ³H -cholesterol laden macrophage was injected intraperitoneally into mice fed by gastric gavage with EEP. Plasma lipid level was determined and ³H-cholesterol was traced in plasma, liver and feces. The effects of EEP on ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 and G1 (ABCA1 and ABCG1) and scavenger receptor BI (SR-BI) in mice liver and in cultured cells were also investigated. EEP administration led to a significant increase in HDL-C and peritoneal macrophage-original ³H-cholesterol in plasma, liver and feces. Liver protein expressions of ABCA1 and ABCG1 were increased but SR-B1 was not. In vitro experiments with HepG2 and Raw264.7 cell lines confirmed the above results. The finding of these studies shows that EEP-enhanced reverse cholesterol transport may have resulted from EEP stimulated plasma HDL level and hepatic ABCA1 and ABCG1 expression.

Introduction

Atherosclerosis is the principle cause of coronary artery disease and stroke. There is a strong inverse relation between plasma high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and the incidence of atherosclerotic ardiovascular diseases...

http://www.springerlink.com/content/m53776l6n1g1v1j3/