Anti-Atherosclerotic Therapy Based on Botanicals

Abstract

Natural products including botanicals for both therapy of clinical manifestations of atherosclerosis and reduction of atherosclerosis risk factors are topics of recent patents. Only a few recent patents are relevant to the direct anti-atherosclerotic therapy leading to regression of atherosclerotic lesions. Earlier, using a cellular model we have developed and patented several anti-atherosclerotic drugs. The AMAR (Atherosclerosis Monitoring and Atherogenicity Reduction) study was designed to estimate the effect of two-year treatment with time-released garlic-based drug Allicor on the progression of carotid atherosclerosis in 196 asymptomatic men aged 40–74 in double-blinded placebo-controlled randomized clinical study. The primary outcome was the rate of atherosclerosis progression, measured by high-resolution B-mode ul-trasonography as the increase in carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) of the far wall of common carotid arteries. The mean rate of IMT changes in Allicor-treated group (−0.022±0.007 mm per year) was significantly different (P = 0.002) from the placebo group in which there was a moderate progression of 0.015±0.008 mm at the overall mean baseline IMT of 0.931±0.009 mm. A significant correlation was found between the changes in blood serum atherogenicity (the ability of serum to induce cholesterol accumulation in cultured cells) during the study and the changes in intima-media thickness of common carotid arteries (r = 0.144, P = 0.045). Thus, the results of AMAR study demonstrate that long-term treatment with Allicor has a direct anti-atherosclerotic effect on carotid atherosclerosis and this effect is likely to be due to serum atherogenicity inhibition. The beneficial effects of other botanicals including Inflaminat (calendula, elder and violet), phytoestrogen-rich Karinat (garlic powder, extract of grape seeds, green tea leafs, hop cones, β-carotene, α-tocopherol and ascorbic acid) on atherosclerosis have also been revealed in clinical studies which enforces a view that botanicals might represent promising drugs for anti-atherosclerotic therapy.

Role of p38 MAPK activation and mitochondrial cytochrome-c release in allicin-induced apoptosis in SK-N-SH cells

“…Researchers have proved that garlic possesses a variety of health beneficial functions, such as antiplatelet aggregation [5], antiatherosclerotic effect [6,7], antifatty liver properties [8], and antimicrobial effect [9]. As the predominant component of freshly crushed garlic, allicin is one of the most biologically active compounds of garlic [10,11] and was firstly isolated and studied in the laboratory by Cavallito and Bailey [12] when it was found to have antibacterial properties.…”

Concerns about Soy Cultivation: What is Known and What is not Known

“…For example, a supposed anti-atherogenic effect of phytoestrogens-containing preparations of plant origin was reported on the basis of experiments with cell cultures, where the ability of serum to induce the accumulation of lipids in cultured macrophages or smooth muscle cells was interpreted as an indicator of serum atherogenicity [39][40][41]. Anti-atherogenic actions of different drugs and substances of plant origin were measured in the cell cultures [42][43][44][45]: if an agent induced lipid accumulation by the cultured cells it was deemed atherogenic and vice versa.…”

“…This matter should be clarified by independent research, despite its potential implications for future soy cultivation. In view of the title of this paper, the following concerns should be stressed in conclusion:(1) the concern for soy use in children and adolescents, given possible estrogenic effects; (2) the concern for phytoestrogens and soy use as ingredients of drugs and dietary supplements for its estrogenic action whereas the literature does not confirm consistent therapeutic effects; (3) the concern to acknowledge that both effect and assumption of no effect cannot be ignored without more profound independent investigation when there is an effect and when there is not.For example, a supposed anti-atherogenic effect of phytoestrogens-containing preparations of plant origin was reported on the basis of experiments with cell cultures, where the ability of serum to induce the accumulation of lipids in cultured macrophages or smooth muscle cells was interpreted as an indicator of serum atherogenicity [39][40][41]. Anti-atherogenic actions of different drugs and substances of plant origin were measured in the cell cultures [42][43][44][45]: if an agent induced lipid accumulation by the cultured cells it was deemed atherogenic and vice versa.…”

Protective Cardiorenal Effects Of Tropaeolum majus L. In Rats With Renovascular Hypertension

“…Thus, drugs based on natural products can be a good therapeutic strategy. 3 However, most of studies evaluated only acute cardioprotector effects of natural products.…”