Antioxidant, Antihyperlipidemic, and Anti-inflammatory Effects of Saudi Date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Pulp, Pits, and Juice Phenolic Extracts and Fiber in Hypercholesteromic Rats

The bioactive properties and effects of the pulp, seeds, and juice polyphenol extracts and dietary fibers of two date cultivars namely Khalas and Sukkari on the lipid profile, antioxidant enzymes, and inflammatory markers of rats fed cholesterol-rich diets were assessed. The seeds contain higher (P<0.05) amounts of dietary fiber of 88.9 g/100 g (Khalas) and 71.5 g/100 g (Sukkari) and total phenolic contents (TPC) of 12128.8 mg GAE/100 g (Sukkari) and 6632.9 mg GAE /100 g (Khalas) than fruit pulp and juice. All extracts exhibited sufficient DPPH and ABTS radicals scavenging activity. Feeding rats with cholesterol-rich diet promoted hypercholesteremia, inflammation, and oxidative stresses by elevating the body weight and increasing the levels of total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerides (TAG), low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C), very‐low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL‐C), arteriosclerosis index (AI), oxidized low‐density lipoprotein (OxLDL), C-reactive protein (CRP) and reducing the levels of high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) and antioxidant enzymes activity in rat serum compared to those of rats fed a standard diet. Oral administration of hypercholesteremic rats with polyphenol extracts of Khalas and Sukkari date pulp and seeds plus feeding pulp and seed fibers reduced body weight and the levels of TC, TAG, LDL-C, vLDL-C, OxLDL, AI and CRP and increased the level of HDL-C and the activity of catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in the serum of hypercholesteremic rats. In conclusion, Khalas and Sukkari fruit and seed polyphenols and fiber extracts exhibited hypocholesteremia, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory potentials and could be used for developing functional supplements for disease curing or prevention.