scholarly journals Seaweeds as Preventive Agents for Cardiovascular Diseases: From Nutrients to Functional Foods

Marine Drugs ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 6838-6865 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susana Cardoso ◽  
Olívia Pereira ◽  
Ana Seca ◽  
Diana Pinto ◽  
Artur Silva

Being naturally enriched in key nutrients and in various health-promoting compounds, seaweeds represent promising candidates for the design of functional foods. Soluble dietary fibers, peptides, phlorotannins, lipids and minerals are macroalgae’s major compounds that can hold potential in high-value food products derived from macroalgae, including those directed to the cardiovascular-health promotion. This manuscript revises available reported data focusing the role of diet supplementation of macroalgae, or extracts enriched in bioactive compounds from macroalgae origin, in targeting modifiable markers of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), like dyslipidemia, oxidative stress, vascular inflammation, hypertension, hypercoagulability and activation of the sympathetic and renin-angiotensin systems, among others. At last, the review also describes several products that have been formulated with the use of whole macroalgae or extracts, along with their claimed cardiovascular-associated benefits.

Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 377
Author(s):  
Yunna Lee ◽  
Eunok Im

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the most common cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The potential benefits of natural antioxidants derived from supplemental nutrients against CVDs are well known. Remarkably, natural antioxidants exert cardioprotective effects by reducing oxidative stress, increasing vasodilation, and normalizing endothelial dysfunction. Recently, considerable evidence has highlighted an important role played by the synergistic interaction between endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) in the maintenance of endothelial function. To provide a new perspective on the role of natural antioxidants against CVDs, we focused on microRNAs (miRNAs), which are important posttranscriptional modulators in human diseases. Several miRNAs are regulated via the consumption of natural antioxidants and are related to the regulation of oxidative stress by targeting eNOS and/or SIRT1. In this review, we have discussed the specific molecular regulation of eNOS/SIRT1-related endothelial dysfunction and its contribution to CVD pathologies; furthermore, we selected nine different miRNAs that target the expression of eNOS and SIRT1 in CVDs. Additionally, we have summarized the alteration of miRNA expression and regulation of activities of miRNA through natural antioxidant consumption.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolás F. Renna ◽  
Emiliano R. Diez ◽  
Carina Lembo ◽  
Roberto M. Miatello

The objective of this work was to demonstrate the role of COX-2 enzyme at the vascular in experimental model of metabolic syndrome. SHR male WKY rats were employed; they were distributed in 8 groups (n=8each): control (W); W + L: WKY rats receiving 20 mg/kg of lumiracoxib by intraesophageal administration; SHR; SHR + L: SHR + 20 mg/kg of lumiracoxib by intraesophageal administration; Fructose-Fed Rats (FFR): WKY rats receiving 10% (w/v) fructose solution in drinking water during all 12 weeks; FFR + L: FFR + 20 mg/kg of lumiracoxib by intraesophageal administration; Fructose-Fed Hypertensive Rats (FFHR): SHR receiving 10% (w/v) fructose solution in drinking water during all 12 weeks; and FFHR + L: FFHR + 20 mg/kg of lumiracoxib by intraesophageal administration. Metabolic variables, blood pressure, morphometric variables, and oxidative stress variables were evaluated; also MMP-2 and MMP-9 (collagenases), VCAM-1, and NF-κB by Westernblot or IFI were evaluated. FFHR presented all variables of metabolic syndrome; there was also an increase in oxidative stress variables; vascular remodeling and left ventricular hypertrophy were evidenced along with a significant increase in the expression of the mentioned proinflammatory molecules and increased activity and expression of collagenase. Lumiracoxib was able to reverse vascular remodeling changes and inflammation, demonstrating the involvement of COX-2 in the pathophysiology of vascular remodeling in this experimental model.


2022 ◽  
pp. 287-309
Author(s):  
Helena Ferreira ◽  
Elisabete Pinto ◽  
Ana M. Gil ◽  
Marta W. Vasconcelos

Author(s):  
Abishek B. Santhakumar ◽  
Indu Singh

In the recent years, there has been a great deal of attention in investigating the disease preventive properties of functional foods. Particularly, impact of the antioxidant property of functional foods in reducing the risk or progression of chronic diseases has gained considerable interest amongst researchers and practitioners. Free radicals such as reactive oxygen species are generated in the body by exposure to a number of physiochemical or pathological mechanisms. It is imperative to preserve a balance between the levels of free radicals and antioxidants for routine physiological function, a disparity of which would accelerate oxidative stress. Increased oxidative stress and associated consequences in metabolic disorders such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes has warranted the need for exogenous antioxidant concentrates derived from natural foods to alleviate the adverse effects. This chapter provides an overview on the efficacy of functional foods in reducing free radical-mediated damage in metabolic syndrome.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Speranza Rubattu ◽  
Maurizio Forte ◽  
Salvatore Raffa

Increased oxidative stress from both mitochondrial and cytosolic sources contributes to the development and the progression of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and it is a target of therapeutic interventions. The numerous efforts made over the last decades in order to develop tools able to monitor the oxidative stress level in patients affected by CVDs rely on the need to gain information on the disease state. However, this goal has not been satisfactorily accomplished until now. Among others, the isolation of circulating leukocytes to measure their oxidant level offers a valid, noninvasive challenge that has been tested in few pathological contexts, including hypertension, atherosclerosis and its clinical manifestations, and heart failure. Since leukocytes circulate in the blood stream, it is expected that they might reflect quite closely both systemic and cardiovascular oxidative stress and provide useful information on the pathological condition. The results of the studies discussed in the present review article are promising. They highlight the importance of measuring oxidative stress level in circulating mononuclear cells in different CVDs with a consistent correlation between degree of oxidative stress and severity of CVD and of its complications. Importantly, they also point to a double role of leukocytes, both as a marker of disease condition and as a direct contributor to disease progression. Finally, they show that the oxidative stress level of leukocytes reflects the impact of therapeutic interventions. It is likely that the isolation of leukocytes and the measurement of oxidative stress, once adequately developed, may represent an eligible tool for both research and clinical purposes to monitor the role of oxidative stress on the promotion and progression of CVDs, as well as the impact of therapies.


Antioxidants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 688 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Micera ◽  
Alfonso Botto ◽  
Federica Geddo ◽  
Susanna Antoniotti ◽  
Cinzia Margherita Bertea ◽  
...  

Squalene (SQ) is a natural triterpene widely distributed in nature. It is a metabolic intermediate of the sterol biosynthetic pathway and represents a possible target in different metabolic and oxidative stress-related disorders. Growing interest has been focused on SQ’s antioxidant properties, derived from its chemical structure. Strong evidence provided by ex vivo models underline its scavenging activity towards free radicals, whereas only a few studies have highlighted its effect in cellular models of oxidative stress. Given the role of unbalanced free radicals in both the onset and progression of several cardiovascular diseases, an in depth evaluation of SQ’s contribution to antioxidant defense mechanisms could represent a strategic approach in dealing with these pathological conditions. At present experimental results overall show a double-edged sword role of squalene in cardiovascular diseases and its function has to be better elucidated in order to establish intervention lines focused on its features. This review aims to summarize current knowledge about endogenous and exogenous sources of SQ and to point out the controversial role of SQ in cardiovascular physiology.


2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (22) ◽  
pp. 3579-3594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanne Karbach ◽  
Philip Wenzel ◽  
Ari Waisman ◽  
Thomas Munzel ◽  
Andreas Daiber

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