LAUSR

Abstract The polyphenolic compounds found in red wine, grapes and peanut skins are bioactive compounds responsible for reduced mortality rates associated with cardiovascular disease. Resveratrol, a polyphenol found in the skin of grapes, reduced liver lipids and inflammation in mice fed an atherogenic diet. We aimed to assess the effects of polyphenolic compounds extracted from peanut skins by testing 3 treatments in mice (n = 10): atherogenic diet supplemented with peanut-skin polyphenolic extract (PSPE), atherogenic diet (ATH), and normal diet. Lymphocyte populations, blood glucose, hepatic cholesterol and glycogen and body weight (BW) were quantified at16 weeks. Mice fed the PSPE-diet had significantly improved BW, reduced hepatic glycogen and blood plasma glucose levels in comparison to the ATH treatment group. Moreover, hepatic cholesterol and lipid storage was reduced in mice fed the PSPE diet. Thus, PSPE could serve as a value added food and/or feed ingredient and an affordable plant source of antioxidants.