The effect of bioactive complex of quercetin, selenium, catechins and curcumin on cardiovascular risk markers in healthy population after a two month consumption

Background: Nutrition is an important factor in prevention of degenerative age-related diseases. Health benefi ts of the functional food - cereal selenized onion biscuits with bioactive complex such as selenium in or- ganic form, quercetin (onion), curcumin (curcuma) and catechins (green tea) were evaluated. Methods: In a group of randomly selected 50 apparently healthy men, aged 30-50 years, the levels of total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), homocysteine (HCy) and its nutritional determinants (methionine, vitamin B12, folic acid, cysteine, vitamin B6) and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) were mea- sured and the LDL cholesterol and atherogenic index was calculated before and after a 2-month consumption period and after a 2-month wash-out period. Results: The signifi cant reduction of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, atherogenic index, HCy and ADMA was found after onion biscuit consumption. Alternative pathway for HCy degradation using betaine as methyl donor is probably a sole argument for reduced HCy value at the signifi cantly reduced concentrations of the methionine, folic acid, cysteine and vitamin B6. Value of hs-CRP was non-signifi cantly reduced after biscuit consumption. Conclusion: The results of improved lipid profi le, signifi cantly reduced values of HCy and ADMA document a benefi cial effect of cereal biscuit with selenized onion, curcuma and green tea in prevention of cardiovascular