Effects of freeze-dried cranberry powder on NF-κB expression and inflammatory markers in db/db mice fed an atherogenic diet

This study examined whether freeze-dried cranberry powder (FCP) fortification is associated with antioxidant-related indices, inflammatory cytokines, and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 expression in atherogenic diet (AD)-fed db/db mice. Mice received a control diet (CD), AD, AD with 5% FCP, or AD with 10% FCP for 8 weeks. Among antioxidant-related indices, AD increased hepatic glutathione reductase activity compared with CD, whereas hepatic microsomal thiobarbituric acid reactive substances levels were not increased; FCP fortification did not show consistent changes in these indices. Among serum inflammatory cytokines, AD increased tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6); FCP did not significantly reduce TNF-α, whereas 10% FCP was associated with lower IL-6. For NF-κB p65 expression, FCP-related changes were more evident in the liver than in the kidney, without marked renal histopathological lesions. These findings suggest that 10% FCP fortification was associated with hepatic inflammatory marker changes rather than renal NF-κB p65 or histopathological changes.