Pleotropic Effects of Polyphenols in Cardiovascular System
Abstract
Numerous epidemiological and clinical studies demonstrate the beneficial effects of naturally occurring, polyphenol supplementations, on cardiovascular system. The present review emphasizes on the risk factors associated with cardiovascular disorders (involving heart and blood vessels), and overview of preclinical and clinical trials on polyphenols for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The review collaborates PUBMED, Google Scholar and Research gate databases, which were explored using keywords and their combinations such as polyphenols, cardiovascular disease, flavonoids, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular risk factors and several others, to create an eclectic manuscript. The potency and efficacy of these polyphenols are mainly depending upon the amount of consumption and bioavailability. Recent data showed that polyphenols also exert beneficial actions on vascular system by blocking platelet aggregation and oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), ameliorating endothelial dysfunction, reducing blood pressure, improving antioxidant defenses and alleviating inflammatory responses. Several studies evidently support the cardioprotective actions mediated by polyphenols, however, some studies or long-term follow-up of human studies, did not demonstrate decisive outcomes because of variations in dose regimen and lack of appropriate controls. Therefore, more data is required to explore the therapeutic benefits of bioactive compounds as a preventive therapy for CVDs.
Keywords: Antioxidant defenses; Cardiovascular disease; Hyperlipidemia; Platelet aggregation; Polyphenol.
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Nutrients Dec 2;7(12):10032-52
Concord Grape Juice Polyphenols and Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Dose-Response Relationships
Affiliations
- 1 Antioxidants Research Laboratory, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA. jeffrey.blumberg@tufts.edu.
- 2 Evans Department of Medicine and the Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
- 3 Antioxidants Research Laboratory, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
Abstract
Pure fruit juices provide nutritional value with evidence suggesting some of their benefits on biomarkers of cardiovascular disease risk may be derived from their constituent polyphenols, particularly flavonoids. However, few data from clinical trials are available on the dose-response relationship of fruit juice flavonoids to these outcomes. Utilizing the results of clinical trials testing single doses, we have analyzed data from studies of 100% Concord grape juice by placing its flavonoid content in the context of results from randomized clinical trials of other polyphenol-rich foods and beverages describing the same outcomes but covering a broader range of intake. We selected established biomarkers determined by similar methods for measuring flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD), blood pressure, platelet aggregation, and the resistance of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) to oxidation. Despite differences among the clinical trials in the treatment, subjects, and duration, correlations were observed between the dose and FMD. Inverse dose-response relationships, albeit with lower correlation coefficients, were also noted for the other outcomes. These results suggest a clear relationship between consumption of even modest serving sizes of Concord grape juice, flavonoid intake, and effects on risk factors for cardiovascular disease. This approach to dose-response relationships may prove useful for testing other individual foods and beverages.
Keywords: LDL oxidation; blood pressure; cardiovascular risk factors; concord grape juice; flavonoids; flow-mediated dilation; platelet aggregation; polyphenols.