Effects of natural peptides from food proteins on angiotensin converting enzyme activity and hypertension

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death. The underlying pathophysiology is largely contributed by an overactivation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone-system (RAAS). Herein, angiotensin II (AngII) is a key mediator not only in blood pressure control and vascular tone regulation, but also involved in inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis, hypertension and congestive heart failure. Since more than three decades suppression of AngII generation by inhibition of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) or blockade of the AngII-receptor has shown clinical benefit by reducing hypertension, atherosclerosis and other inflammation-associated cardiovascular diseases. Besides pharmaceutical ACE-inhibitors some natural peptides derived from food proteins reduce in vitro ACE activity. Several animal studies and a few human clinical trials have shown antihypertensive effects of such peptides, which might be attractive as food additives to prevent age-related RAAS activation. However, their inhibitory potency on in vitro ACE activity does not always correlate with an antihypertensive impact. While some peptides with high inhibitory activity on ACE-activity in vitro show no antihypertensive effect in vivo, other peptides with only a moderate ACE inhibitory activity in vitro cause such effects. The explanation for this conflicting phenomenon between inhibitory activity and antihypertensive effect remains unclear to date. This review shall critically address the effects of natural peptides derived from different food proteins on the cardiovascular system and the possible underlying mechanisms. A central aspect will be to point to conceptual gaps in the current understanding of the action of these peptides with respect to in vivo blood pressure lowering effects.     

Inflammatory Diseases and Vitamin E—What Do We Know and Where Do We Go?

Inflammation‐driven diseases and related comorbidities, such as the metabolic syndrome, obesity, fatty liver disease, and cardiovascular diseases cause significant global burden. There is a growing body of evidence that nutrients alter inflammatory responses and can therefore make a decisive contribution to the treatment of these diseases. Recently, the inflammasome, a cytosolic multiprotein complex, has been identified as a key player in inflammation and the development of various inflammation‐mediated disorders, with nucleotide‐binding domain and leucine‐rich repeat pyrin domain (NLRP) 3 being the inflammasome of interest. Here an overview about the cellular signaling pathways underlying nuclear factor “kappa‐light‐chain‐enhancer” of activated B‐cells (NF‐κB)‐ and NLRP3‐mediated inflammatory processes, and the pathogenesis of the inflammatory diseases atherosclerosis and non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is provided; next, the current state of knowledge for drug‐based and dietary‐based interventions for treating cardiovascular diseases and NAFLD is discussed. To date, one of the most important antioxidants in the human diet is vitamin E. Various in vitro and in vivo studies suggest that the different forms of vitamin E and also their derivatives have anti‐inflammatory activity. Recent publications suggest that vitamin E—and possibly metabolites of vitamin E—are a promising therapeutic approach for treating inflammatory diseases such as NAFLD.     

Cardiovascular disease and nutrient antioxidants: Role of low‐density lipoprotein oxidation

Increasing evidence indicates that oxidative modification of low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) is causally related to atherosclerosis. Oxidatively modified LDL (oxLDL), in contrast to native LDL, is taken up avidly by macrophages, leading to formation of lipid‐laden foam cells. Foam cells are pathognomonic of the atherosclerotic fatty streak. Modified LDL may also promote atherosclerosis by many other mechanisms, such as recruitment and retention of monocyte‐macrophages, T‐lymphocytes, and smooth muscle cells in the arterial intima, and cytotoxicity toward endothelial cells and macrophage‐derived foam cells. The “oxidation hypothesis of atherosclerosis” is supported by a number of in vivo findings, such as the presence of oxLDL in atherosclerotic lesions, and increased titers of autoantibodies against modified LDL in patients with atherosclerosis.

As a corollary of the oxidation hypothesis of atherosclerosis, antioxidants that can inhibit LDL oxidation may act as antiatherogens. This conception is supported by animal studies showing that antioxidants such as probucol, butylated hydroxytoluene, and α‐tocopherol can slow the progression of atherosclerosis. Epidemiological and clinical data indicate a protective role of dietary antioxidants against cardiovascular disease, including vitamin E, β‐carotene, and vitamin C. Likewise, basic research studies on LDL oxidation have demonstrated a protective role for antioxidants, present either in the aqueous environment of LDL or associated with the lipoprotein itself. More studies are needed to establish the effectiveness and determine the required doses of specific antioxidants to prevent and possibly treat cardiovascular disease.     

茶多酚对心血管保护作用的研究进展

2015年世界卫生组织报道,心血管疾病已成为全球的主要死因之一,死于心血管疾病的人数逐年上升。大量实验证明茶多酚在抗动脉粥样硬化、降血压、降血脂、心肌保护、血管保护、抗心律失常和心肌缺血再灌注损伤等心血管保护作用方面均有较好的效果。本文对近年来茶多酚在防治心血管疾病方面的研究进展进行综述,概述了其心血管防护作用及机理,分析了我国茶多酚的研究现状,并对茶多酚的应用前景进行了展望,旨在为茶多酚在心血管疾病防治方面的应用提供参考。     

Ligustilide Inhibited Rat Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Migration via c‐Myc/MMP2 and ROCK/JNK Signaling Pathway

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) excessive migration, a basic change of pathological intimal thickening, can lead to serious cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, and stroke. Ligustilide (LIG), the main active ingredient of angelica volatile oil, has been demonstrated to exert protective effects on the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular, circulatory system, and immune function. However, whether it protects against intimal thickening and VSMCs excessive migration and its underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of LIG on VSMCs migration and its underlying mechanism. The protective effect of LIG on VSMCs excessive migration was assessed using an atherosclerotic spontaneously hypertensive rat model and an angiotensin II (AngII)‐induced VSMCs migration model. The results showed that LIG exerted a protective effect against pathological intimal thickening as demonstrated by decreasing VSMCs migration in vivo and in vitro. In vivo, intimal thickening and VSMCs migration were inhibited and LIG performed a suppressive effect on the expression of c‐Myc protein while enhanced phenotypic transformation related proteins α‐SMA expression. Meanwhile, the administration of LIG significantly lowered the blood pressure and blood lipids level in atherosclerotic spontaneously hypertensive rats. In vitro, LIG suppressed AngII‐induced VSMCs migration and downregulated the expression of migration related protein c‐Myc, MMP2, ROCK1, ROCK2, p‐JNK, and JNK. These findings suggested the protective effect of LIG on VSMCs migration was associated with the decrement of c‐Myc/MMP2 signaling pathway and ROCK‐JNK signaling pathway. Thus, LIG may serve as a novel therapeutic agent for preventing cardiovascular disease.     

肠道菌群促炎与动脉粥样硬化关系研究进展

人类肠道菌群由近百万亿个共生微生物组成,以人体内的营养成分维持生存和代谢,通过代谢和免疫功能来维持人类身体健康.肠道菌群与全身的疾病密切相关.肠道菌群组成、特异性菌种或菌群的变化与各类疾病如糖尿病、肥胖、炎症及心血管疾病的发生有密切的相关性.心血管疾病的发病率和死亡率在全球呈上升的趋势,严重危害人类健康.动脉粥样硬化(...     

Role of dietary proteins and peptides in cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States and most other countries. Therefore, a disease of such wide-ranging impact calls for the development of multiple viable strategies for prevention. Diet plays an important role in the development of the major risk factors of CVD such as low-grade systemic inflammation, hypertension, obesity, diabetes and atherosclerosis, the most significant. Thus, diet-based methods of prevention would not only be more feasible, but ultimately more cost-effective than relying on drugs to combat this condition. In recent years, peptides derived from either animal or plant sources have been found to have various bioactive properties. Nevertheless, their potential impact on inflammation and prevention of atherosclerosis has not been fully explored, particularly at the molecular level. In this review, the most current scientific information from in vitro, in vivo and clinical studies on the role of dietary proteins and peptides on CVD has been summarized and discussed.     

Effect of grape and other berries on cardiovascular health

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death globally. Many cardiovascular risk factors can be modified through lifestyle modification, including dietary patterns that emphasize daily consumption of a variety of fruits and vegetables. Recent observational and clinical studies suggest that flavonoids, especially those abundant in grapes and other berries, may be associated with health benefits, particularly cardiovascular benefits. Human clinical data support cardioprotective benefits of grapes through inhibition of platelet aggregation, decreased low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation, reduction in oxidative stress and improvements in endothelial function. Emerging evidence suggests that grapes may also have a favorable effect on blood lipids, decrease inflammation and reduce blood pressure in certain populations. Studies to date have shown that berries can have a beneficial effect on reducing LDL oxidation. Limited data suggest that berries may have a favorable effect on endothelial health and blood pressure. This review summarizes the current literature on human clinical studies examining the cardioprotective benefits of grapes and berries. Collectively, these data support the recommendation to incorporate products made with grapes and other berries into a heart‐healthy diet. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry     

花色苷抗心血管疾病的研究进展

心血管疾病是世界范围内一个主要的死亡原因,每年对社会带来巨大的健康问题和经济负担。花色苷属于黄酮类物质,广泛存在于植物中的水溶性天然色素。花色苷具有抗氧化、抗炎、抗癌以及心血管保护等多种生物活性,本文章对花色苷的抗心血管疾病作用进行综述。     

Bamboo: A rich source of natural antioxidants and its applications in the food and pharmaceutical industry

Background: Bamboo is a multipurpose plant known mostly for its industrial uses but is now being recognized as a potential source of bioactive compounds and natural antioxidants. All the parts of the bamboo plant such as rhizome, culm shaving, leaves, roots, shoots and seeds have clinical applications. Studies have revealed that bamboo is a rich source of antioxidants and regular consumption of bamboo-based products may reduce the risk of age-related chronic diseases including cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, cancer and diabetes.Scope and approach: This review article reports a comprehensive insight concerning antioxidants and antioxidant properties of bamboo shoots and leaves and their prospects for utilization in the development of functional foods and nutraceuticals. Antioxidants are vital constituents in the food and pharmaceutical industry as they scavenge free radicals that cause deterioration of products during processing and storage. They also promote human health by neutralizing cell damage caused by free radicals.Key findings and conclusion: Antioxidants are known to confer health benefits such as prevention of cancer and degenerative diseases, slowing down the aging process and promotion of cardiovascular health. The main antioxidants in bamboo leaves and shoots are phenols, vitamin C & E and mineral elements such as selenium, copper, zinc, iron and manganese. At present, natural antioxidants are in great demand as synthetic antioxidants being used in food and pharmaceuticals may be deleterious to health. Hence, bamboo a fast growing plant with huge biomass can serve as an alternative for the production of natural antioxidants.     

The powerful story against cardiovascular diseases: Dietary factors

Cardiovascular diseases are the underlying cause of most deaths worldwide, and they are expected to rise in the following years. Cardiovascular diseases include diseases that affect the heart, cerebral, and peripheral vessels, resulting in ischemia. On the basis of cardiovascular disease pathophysiology, there are lipoprotein metabolism abnormalities, oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, endothelium damage, and atherothrombosis. Modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular health and diseases are blood pressure, blood lipid profile, oxidative stress, inflammation, and other factors (smoking, obesity, diabetes mellitus). Atherosclerotic plaque development, vascular calcification, and vascular stiffness are caused by a long-term endothelial dysfunction and inflammatory response, which can be prevented and controlled by the diet. Fat and cholesterol are the commonly considered dietary factors in the association of the nutrition and the cardiovascular disease, although other macronutrients, especially carbohydrates and proteins, also have major effects. Nowadays, other macronutrients and micronutrients (minerals and vitamins) have roles in regulating the indicated processes (blood pressure, calcification, oxidative stress, inflammation, etc.) in cardiovascular disease prognosis. Other dietary compounds (sterols, stanols, polyphenols, carotenoids, etc.) that exist in small amounts in foods might have a role in regulating these mechanisms as well. There are also new insights about walnuts, garlic, ginger, and hawthorn as parts of a healthy diet against cardiovascular diseases. So far, there have not appeared any reviews that combine the impact of a wide variety of dietary components on cardiovascular diseases. Thus, the novel nutritional targets and interventions that focus on nutrients and other dietary compounds on potential mechanisms underlying cardiovascular diseases are discussed in this review.     

番茄红素生物学功能的研究进展

番茄红素是一种具有多种生理活性的天然色素,它具有预防癌症和心血管疾病的作用。人体内血浆中番茄红素的含量和前列腺癌、消化道癌等多种癌症以及动脉粥样硬化、冠心病发生的几率呈负相关。现对番茄红素与人类疾病的关系和当前的研究进展作一综述。     

Nutraceutical potential of olive pomace: insights from cell-based and clinical studies

Olive oil production yields a substantial volume of by-products, constituting up to 80% of the processed fruits. The olive pomace by-product represents a residue of significant interest due to the diverse bioactive compounds identified in it. However, a thorough characterization and elucidation of the biological activities of olive pomace are imperative to redirect its application for functional food, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical purposes both for animals and humans. In this review, we examine data from experimental models, including immortalized human vascular endothelial cells, human corneal and conjunctival epithelial cells, human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells, non-tumorigenic human hepatoma cells, and murine macrophages alongside clinical trials. These studies aim to validate the safety, nutritional value, and pharmacological effects of olive pomace. In vitro studies suggest that biophenols extracted from olive pomace possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative properties that could be beneficial in mitigating cardiovascular disorders, particularly atherosclerosis, hepatosteatosis, and dry-eye disease. Protective effects against dry-eye disease were confirmed in a mouse model assay. Olive pomace used in the feed for fish and poultry has demonstrated the ability to enhance animals' immunity and improve nutritional quality of meat and eggs. Human clinical trials are scarce and have revealed minimal biological changes following the consumption of olive pomace-enriched foods. However, alterations in certain biomarkers tentatively suggest cardioprotective properties. The review underscores the value of olive pomace while addressing potential drawbacks and future perspectives, with a specific focus on the need for further investigation into the animal feed and human nutritional properties of olive pomace. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.     

A comprehensive review of the metabolism of citrus flavonoids and their binding to bitter taste receptors

Citrus is an important source of flavonoids in our daily diet. Citrus flavonoids have antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and cardiovascular disease prevention functions. Studies have shown that some pharmaceutical values of flavonoids may be related to their binding to bitter taste receptors, thus activating downstream signal transduction pathways; however, the underlying mechanism has not been systematically elucidated. In this paper, the biosynthesis pathway and the absorption and metabolism of citrus flavonoids were briefly reviewed, and the relationship between flavonoid structure and bitter taste intensity was investigated. In addition, the pharmacological effects of bitter flavonoids and the activation of bitter taste receptors in combating various diseases were discussed. This review provides an important basis for the targeted design of citrus flavonoid structures to make them more biologically active and more attractive as powerful drugs for the effective treatment of chronic diseases such as obesity, asthma, and neurological diseases.     

Resveratrol: preventing properties against vascular alterations and ageing

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in developed countries where the common pathological substrate underlying this process is atherosclerosis. Several new concepts have emerged in relation to mechanisms that contribute to the regulation of the vascular diseases and associated inflammatory effects. Recently, potential antioxidants (vitamin E, polyphenols) have received much attention as potential anti-atherosclerotic agents. Among the polyphenols with health benefic properties, resveratrol, a phytoalexin of grape, seem to be a good candidate protecting the vascular walls from oxidation, inflammation, platelet aggregation, and thrombus formation. In this review, we focus on the mechanism of resveratrol cardiovascular benefic effects. We analyze, in relation with the different steps of atherosclerotic process, the resveratrol properties at multiple levels, such as cellular signaling, enzymatic pathways, apoptosis, and gene expression. We show and discuss the relationship with reactive oxygen species, regulation of pro-inflammatory genes including cycloxygenases and cytokines in molecular inflammatory and aging processes, and how the regulation of these activites by resveratrol can lead to a prevention of vascular diseases.     

A New Age for Quercus spp. Fruits: Review on Nutritional and Phytochemical Composition and Related Biological Activities of Acorns

The current global food system must adapt to the expected growth of world population (about 9 billion individuals by 2050). This adaptation will probably include an increased consumption of edible wild foods, due to their richness in micronutrients and bioactive compounds, besides providing a cost‐effective and sustainable way of improving caloric food security. A striking example of such natural matrices is the Quercus genus, which has the additional advantage of being widespread throughout the Northern Hemisphere. In a traditional sense, Quercus fruits (acorns) were mainly used in animal feeding, despite their potentially important role on the rural economy. But this preconception is changing. In fact, their nutritional value, high contents in phytochemical compounds, biological activity (such as antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, and cardioprotective properties) and use in the treatment of specific diseases (such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, or Alzheimer's disease) have raised the interest in integrating acorns into the human diet. Accordingly, this comprehensive overview was designed to provide an evidence‐based review of the literature, with the objective to achieve useful conclusions regarding the nutritional properties, methodologies of extraction, identification, and characterization of a wide variety of bioactive compounds and scientifically validated bioactivities in Quercus species worldwide. The industrial by‐products from acorn oil extraction or flour production are also included. Data regarding the analytical techniques, individual compounds, and their bioactivities, are organized in tables. The reported data are discussed and directions for further investigations are suggested, highlighting the use of acorns in food, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical applications.     

Effects of garlic allicor tablets on lipid metabolism and risk of fatal cardiovascular complications in patients with atherogenic dyslipoproteinemia

The aim of investigation was to assess an effect of allicor at a lipid metabolism and a free radical oxidation of blood lipids, anthropometic values, and arterial blood pressure at patients with atherogenic dislipoproteidemy. 112 patients (47 men and 65 women) 40 to 60 years of age were examined. 56 patients had ischemic heart disease and/or equal disorders. Another 56 patients were free of any signs of atherosclerosis, but had one or more risk factor of cardiovascular pathology. Six month therapy using allicor results in moderate hypolipidemic and antioxidative effect. A dosage of 600 mg per day decreases individual ten-year chance of fatal cardiovascular complications at patients with clinical signs of atherosclerosis, whereas at patients who have no signs of atherosclerosis the complications are decreased with dosage of 300 mg per day.