Anti-Aggregatory Potential of Selected Vegetables-Promising Dietary Components for the Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease

Abstract

Increased blood platelet activation, especially platelet aggregation, plays an important function in cardiovascular disease; however, various dietary components may inhibit platelet activation. Recent clinical and epidemiologic studies indicate that both fruits and vegetables, and their products, contain various phytoprotective substances possessing biological properties such as antiplatelet and antioxidant effects that may work synergistically to ameliorate the effect of cardiovascular disease. In addition, the consumption of vegetables and their products may also play an important role in prevention. However, the mechanisms involved have not been clearly defined. Various studies clearly indicate that certain vegetables (e.g., onions, garlic, and tomatoes) have beneficial effects on blood platelet hyperactivity, an important cardiovascular risk factor, and hence may offer new prophylactic and therapeutic possibilities for the treatment of blood platelet hyperactivation and cardiovascular disease. This mini-review evaluates the current literature on the relationship between the consumption of onion (Allium cepa L.), garlic (Allium sativum L.), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), and beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.), and blood platelet activation, which may have important implications for the prophylaxis and treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Keywords: aggregation; blood platelet; platelet activation; vegetable.

FIGURE 1

Experiments involving vegetables and their products in cardiovascular disease, showing their influence on selected cardiovascular parameters and the proposed mechanism of action of vegetables and their products on blood platelets. Vegetable components may inhibit the synthesis of TXA₂ (a platelet agonist), inhibit ROS production, and increase the level of cAMP and cGMP in platelets. cAMP, cyclic adenosine 5′-monophosphate; cGMP, cyclic guanosine 5′-monophosphate; ROS, reactive oxygen species; TXA₂, thromboxane A₂.