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Int J Angiol 2020; 29(04): 216-222
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1709129
Review Article

Flaxseed and Its Components in Treatment of Hyperlipidemia and Cardiovascular Disease

Kailash Prasad
1   Department of Physiology (APP), College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
,
Amal S. Khan
2   Community, Health and Epidemiology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
,
Muhammad Shoker
1   Department of Physiology (APP), College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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Abstract

This paper describes the effects of flaxseed and its components (flax oil, secoisolariciresinoldiglucoside[SDG], flax lignan complex [FLC], and flax fibers] on serum lipids (total cholesterol [TC], low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol [LDL-C], high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C], and triglycerides [TG]) in animals and humans. Ordinary flaxseed reduces TG, TC, LDL-C, and TC/HDL-C levels in a dose-dependent manner in animals. In humans, it reduces serum lipids in hypercholesterolemicpatients but has no effects in normocholesterolemicpatients. Flax oil has variable effects on serum lipids in normo- and hypercholesterolemic animals. Flax oil treatment, with a dosage containing greater than 25 g/day of α-linolenic acid, reduces serum lipids in humans. Although FLC reduces serum lipids and raises serum HDL-C in animals, its effects on serum lipids in humans are small and variable. Flax fibers exert small effects on serum lipids in humans. Crop Development Centre (CDC)-flaxseed, which contains low concentrations of α-linolenic acid, has significant lipid lowering effects in animals. Pure SDG has potent hypolipidemic effects and raises HDL-C. In conclusion, flaxseed and pure SDG have significant lipid-lowering effects in animals and humans, while other components of flaxseed have small and variable effects.

Keywords

flaxseed - flax oil - flaxlignan complex - secoisolariciresinoldiglucoside - serum lipids - flaxseed dietary fibers


Publikationsverlauf

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
14. April 2020

© 2020. International College of Angiology. This article is published by Thieme.

Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.
333 Seventh Avenue, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10001, USA

 

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