|
Oligomeric proanthocyanidins, as present in the complex phyto-nutrient MASQUELIER’s® Original OPCs, directly protect human LDL from oxidation at concentrations that reflect biologically-relevant or in vivo levels.
The results of the research project, Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins effectively inhibit LDL oxidation: A Mechanistic study using a lipophilic, Oxidation-sensitive, Fluorescent Probe, were made public by Dr. Geetha Achanta at the 14th Annual Meeting of the Society for Free Radical Biology and Medicine, held last week in Washington DC. The research was performed in The Netherlands under supervision of Dr. Jan Andries Post at the Center for Cellular Architecture and Dynamics Department of the University of Utrecht. Dr. Achanta commented: "The project aims at deepening our understanding of the ways OPCs protect the vascular wall, and potentially reduce risk of vascular disorders and cardiovascular complications. In research conducted last year, we found that OPCs are capable of protecting endothelial cells lining the blood vessels from oxidative damage and so reduce the risk on endothelial dysfunction and vascular disorders. This year’s research aims at studying the effects of OPCs on oxidation of LDL particles in plasma and their interaction with the vascular wall, a key factor that promotes inflammation in blood vessels resulting in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular complications. The results of the first phase of the project are extremely promising, because they indicate that OPCs, at levels found in circulation after oral intake, are capable of protecting LDL from oxidation, and appear to be more effective protectors than vitamin E." The results demonstrated that the likely mechanism by which MASQUELIER’s® Original OPCs protect LDL from oxidation is by effectively scavenging free radicals generated in both the water phase as well as the lipid phase which cause oxidation of the lipid (cholesterol)-rich LDL particles and triggers inflammation. This study used a highly sensitive, novel fluorescence method for detecting LDL oxidation. The relevance of the data from this study is obvious. Atherosclerosis, the deterioration and functional impairment of the walls of our arteries, is a chronic inflammatory disease which constitutes the leading cause of morbidity, invalidity and bodily malfunction in the Western world. Vascular inflammatory disorders can also lead to angina pectoris, heart attacks and many other deadly, crippling, cumbersome or inconvenient health problems such as stroke, temporary ischemic attack (TIA), retinopathy (bad eyesight) and varicose veins. Moreover, vascular complications form the major side effect of diabetes. Increased risk for angina pectoris and an increased rate of sudden death have been observed in people previously diagnosed as diabetic. Today’s rapid increase in diabetes is due to the growing prevalence of obesity and overweight. The cascade of events that flow from obesity to diabetes to vascular inflammation show that the protection of the vascular wall must have absolute priority in the field of nutrition. Free radicals play the determining role in the onset of vascular inflammatory processes. A major trigger for vascular inflammation is oxidation of plasma Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL). Oxidized - modified - LDL sets the inflammatory reaction in motion and the effects of this event result in many health- threatening conditions. The product-specific research, performed at the University of Utrecht (Netherlands), showed that, at concentrations that are biologically-relevant in humans, the flavanolic compound named MASQUELIER’s® Original OPCs significantly protected plasma LDL from oxidation by scavenging free radicals in the water phase and lipid phase, thereby interrupting LDL modification and inflammation. Representing International Nutrition Company, the worldwide supplier of the MASQUELIER’s® compounds, Bert Schwitters said: "This places Dr. Masquelier’s product as an important nutritional factor that attenuates the onset of the inflammatory reactions that may lead to numerous cardiovascular complications. If we can protect cholesterol (LDL) from oxidation, we may be capable of reducing the body’s inflammatory response and increase the chances on a healthy future for the vascular system."
|
