Vascular protective effects of fruit polyphenols
Résumé
Fruit and vegetables have been consistently identified in epidemiological studies as key components of dietary patterns associated with cardiovascular health-protective effects. The vascular protective effects of fruits have been largely ascribed to their content in polyphenols. Current limited evidence from randomized controlled trials together with experimental data on vascular bioactivity suggests that fruits containing relatively high levels of anthocyanins, flavonols and procyanidins, such as berries, grapes and pomegranate are effective at reducing cardiovascular risk, particularly with respect to anti-hypertensive effects, improvement in endothelial function and inhibition of platelet aggregation. Citrus and apples, fruits rich in flavanones and hydroxycinnamic acids/flavan-3-ols/procyanidins, respectively, were reported to have a moderate impact on blood pressure, endothelial and platelet functions and to exhibit hypolipidemic effects. Future long-term well-controlled intervention studies with purified polyphenols are required to determine to what extent there is a causal link between a specific fruit polyphenol compound and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease