| dc.description.abstract | Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is of great concern to the American population as it is the leading cause of death in the United States. Vascular inflammation can lead to many outcomes, one of which is the development of atherosclerotic lesions – a common manifestation of CVD. The purpose of this study was to determine the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of secondary plant compounds (SPC) extracted from fruits, specifically investigating their effects as a preventative measure in vascular lesion development. Antioxidant activity (AOX) was measured using the ORAC assay, quantifying antioxidant enzymes and determining protection against reactive oxygen species (ROS) in-vitro. Anti-inflammatory activity was measured through quantifying mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory markers in LPS-induced Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial cells (HUVEC).
Stone fruits contain a significant amount of SPC in their flesh and skin. This study suggested that SPC present in Black Splendor plum (BS), Crimson Lady peach and Rich Lady peach extracts exert protective effects on HUVEC. Total extracts of the fruit, as well as anthocyanin and non-anthocyanin fractions were investigated. The SPC extracts of the stone fruits were proven to have high AOX based on their ability to scavenge free radicals, indicating anthocyanin compounds eliciting the highest effect. Further investigation established significant protection against in-vitro ROS, indicating BS-total extract providing the most protective effect. Anti-inflammatory effects were seen with decreased expression of LPS-induced inflammatory markers (NF-κB, IL-6, IL-8, V-CAM, COX-2) with pre-treatment of peach and plum extracts. Results are suggestive that certain SPC elicit protective effects targeting specific pro-inflammatory markers.
Superfruits, a rising research interest within the functional food industry, are known for their SPC content. AOX was seen through a suppression of the superoxide-radical generating enzyme, NADPH oxidase and reduction in antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase (SOD). Pomegranate from China and Turkey, and both açai varieties elicited the largest decrease in expression of NADPH oxidase. Pomegranate grown from China, Turkey and the US, and all goji extracts elicited the highest suppression of SOD enzyme activity. The highest suppressive effect of pro-inflammatory biomarkers (NF-κB, TNFα, IL-6, and IL-8) was seen was seen with treatment of pomegranate grown in India. To the best of our knowledge, this was the first account of anti-inflammatory activity relating to preventative effects of inflammatory lesion development. | en |
