Effects of boron-containing compounds on cardiovascular disease risk factors – A review

Abstract

Boron is considered to be a biological trace element but there is substantial and growing support for it to be classified as an essential nutrient for animals and humans, depending on its speciation. Boron-containing compounds have been reported to play an important role in biological systems. Although the exact biochemical functions of boron-containing compounds have not yet been fully elucidated, previous studies suggest an active involvement of these molecules in the mediation of inflammation and oxidative stress. Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress are known to amplify the effects of the main cardiovascular risk factors: smoking, diet, obesity, arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes (as modifiable risk factors), and hyperhomocysteinemia and age (as independent risk factors). However, the role of boron-containing compounds in cardiovascular systems and disease prevention has yet to be established. This paper is a review of boron-containing compounds' existence in nature and their possible functions in living organisms, with a special focus on certain cardiovascular risk factors that may be diminished by intake of these compounds, leading to a reduction of cardiovascular morbidity and/or mortality.

Selected physiological effects of boron compounds for animals and humans. A review

“…Vegetables, fruits and honey are the basic sources of fructoborates (fructoborate esters, FB), mainly in the form of calcium (Ca 2+ ) fructoborate complex (Pietrzkowski et al, 2014;Donoiu et al, 2018). Fructoborates have positive synergic interactions with ions of Ca, Mg, Zn, Fe and Cu; FB have a better interaction capacity with glycoproteins versus that of the boric acid or borate (Mogoşanu et al, 2016;Hunter et al, 2019).…”

The Fructoborates: Part of a Family of Naturally Occurring Sugar–Borate Complexes—Biochemistry, Physiology, and Impact on Human Health: a Review

“…An element’s “speciation” is defined as the dispersion of that element amidst distinguished chemical species in a system [ 1 ]. B’s organic speciation in the three kingdoms of life ( Archaea , Bacteria , and Eukarya ) derives from the additional biochemical development of boron’s inorganic species [ 2 – 4 ]. Organic B biochemical species have formed the basis of B’s proven essentiality in plants [ 5 , 6 ].…”

“…More recently, B has been suggested to be essential in animals [ 7 , 8 ]. Such suggestion has not yet been conclusively proven, although many hypotheses have been postulated [ 4 , 9 ]. B has the ability to complex with a variety of cis -diol biomolecules; however, not all possible B complexes occur in nature [ 10 , 11 ].…”

“…Recent scientific data strongly suggests that only plants have the capacity to metabolize boric acid (BA)/borate (inorganic B speciation) and to transform it into sugar–borate esters (organic B speciation). Currently, it appears that humans and other animals do not have this capacity [ 4 , 12 ]. Generally, as boric acid/borate enters the human/animal cell, it blocks other biomolecules that contain cis -diols, for example, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), S -adenosyl methionine (SAM), flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), and ribonuclease (RNase) [ 4 , 13 ].…”

“…Currently, it appears that humans and other animals do not have this capacity [ 4 , 12 ]. Generally, as boric acid/borate enters the human/animal cell, it blocks other biomolecules that contain cis -diols, for example, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), S -adenosyl methionine (SAM), flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), and ribonuclease (RNase) [ 4 , 13 ]. Sugar–borate complexes that occur naturally in plants are perhaps the most recognized biogenic cis -diol organic B species [ 4 , 14 – 20 ].…”