Author(s)

Micaela Gliozzi, Cristina Carresi, Vincenzo Musolino, Ernesto Palma, Carolina Muscoli, Cristiana Vitale, Santo Gratteri, Giuseppe Muscianisi, Elzbieta Janda, Saverio Muscoli, Francesco Romeo, Salvatore Ragusa, Rocco Mollace, Ross Walker, James Ehrlich, Vincenzo Mollace

Interregional Research Centre for Food Safety & Health, University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
San Raffaele IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy.

The occurrence of Metabolic Syndrome (MS) represents an independent risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease states in patients suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus. Moreover, both the size of LDL particles and liver dysfunction identified as non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represent important biomarkers for the development of cardiometabolic risk in patients with MS. Here we studied the effect of bergamot polyphenolic fraction (BPF) in patients with MS and NAFLD. 107 patients were enrolled at the San Raffaele IRCCS (Rome). All of them showed ultrasonografic evidences of NAFLD and at least three out of five previous identified criteria for the diagnosis of MS. Patients were divided into two groups: one receiving placebo and the second receiving BPF 650 mg twice a day for 120 consecutive days. In the group receiving BPF 650 mg twice a day, a significant reduction of fasting plasma glucose, serum LDL cholesterol and triglycerides alongside with an increase of HDL cholesterol was found. This effect was accompanied by significant reduction of both ultrasonographic and metabolic biomarkers of NAFLD. Moreover, a significant reduction of small dense LDL particles, as detected via proton NMR Spectroscopy, was found after BPF treatment. In conclusion, our data confirm the beneficial effect of bergamot-extract in patients with MS an effect highlighted by significant reduction of small dense LDL particles and by improvement of NAFLD biomarkers. This suggests a potential preventive role of bergamot derivatives in reducing cardiometabolic risk.

Metabolic Syndrome; Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; Cardiometabolic Risk; Bergamot Polyphenolic Fraction

Gliozzi, M. , Carresi, C. , Musolino, V. , Palma, E. , Muscoli, C. , Vitale, C. , Gratteri, S. , Muscianisi, G. , Janda, E. , Muscoli, S. , Romeo, F. , Ragusa, S. , Mollace, R. , Walker, R. , Ehrlich, J. and Mollace, V. (2014) The Effect of Bergamot-Derived Polyphenolic Fraction on LDL Small Dense Particles and Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome. Advances in Biological Chemistry, 4, 129-137. doi: 10.4236/abc.2014.42017.