Consumption of Bing sweet cherries lowers circulating concentrations of inflammation markers in healthy men and women

J Nutr. 2006 Apr;136(4):981-6. doi: 10.1093/jn/136.4.981.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of consuming sweet cherries on plasma lipids and markers of inflammation in healthy humans. Healthy men and women (n = 18) supplemented their diets with Bing sweet cherries (280 g/d) for 28 d. After a 12-h fast, blood samples were taken before the start of cherry consumption (study d 0 and 7), 14 and 28 d after the start of cherry supplementation (study d 21 and 35), and 28 d after the discontinuation (study d 64) of cherry consumption. After cherries were consumed for 28 d, circulating concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), regulated upon activation, normal T-cell expressed, and secreted (RANTES), and NO decreased by 25 (P < 0.05), 21 (P < 0.05), and 18% (P = 0.07) respectively. After the discontinuation of cherry consumption for 28 d (d 64), concentrations of RANTES continued to decrease (P = 0.001), whereas those of CRP and NO did not differ from either d 7 (pre-cherries) or d 35 (post-cherries). Plasma concentrations of IL-6 and its soluble receptor, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 did not change during the study. Cherry consumption did not affect the plasma concentrations of total-, HDL-, LDL-, and VLDL- cholesterol, triglycerides, subfractions of HDL, LDL, VLDL, and their particle sizes and numbers. It also did not affect fasting blood glucose or insulin concentrations or a number of other chemical and hematological variables. Results of the present study suggest a selective modulatory effect of sweet cherries on CRP, NO, and RANTES. Such anti-inflammatory effects may be beneficial for the management and prevention of inflammatory diseases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Biomarkers / blood*
  • Body Mass Index
  • C-Reactive Protein / analysis
  • Chemokine CCL5 / blood
  • Diet*
  • Energy Intake
  • Female
  • Fruit* / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / blood*
  • Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / analysis
  • Lipids / blood
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nitric Oxide / blood
  • Phenols / analysis
  • Prunus*
  • Receptors, Interleukin-6 / blood
  • Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 / blood

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Biomarkers
  • Chemokine CCL5
  • Lipids
  • Phenols
  • Receptors, Interleukin-6
  • Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1
  • Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2
  • Nitric Oxide
  • C-Reactive Protein