Dietary Antioxidants for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease / Journal of Rural Medicine

ABSTRACT

The traditional Japanese diet with its high intake of fruits and vegetables that are rich in antioxidants is believed to effectively ward off cardiovascular disease. Oxidative stress, related to reactive oxygen and nitrogen species produced by aerobic organisms, is responsible for the pathogenesis of most chronic diseases. Oxidative low density lipoprotein (LDL) is thought to play a key role in the pathogenesis of early atherosclerosis. There has been increasing interest in antioxidant substances derived from edible plants. It has been suggested that the measurement of LDL antioxidant activity is physiopathologically more important and informative for screening antioxidant activity to prevent atherosclerosis than other methods. We assessed by LDL oxidation assay the antioxidant characteristics of various edible plants from rural areas. The mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaf showed comparatively high antioxidant activity. We identified the antioxidant compounds and investigated compound levels in the mulberry leaf and found the antioxidant activity of mulberry leaves to be mainly attributable to quercetin 3-(6-malonylglucoside) (Q3MG). Dietary consumption of mulberry leaves and/or Q3MG may enhance resistance to oxidative modification of LDL and attenuated atherosclerotic lesion development. However, the outcome of intervention trials suggested that a single antioxidant had little effect on the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The synergic effect of certain combinations may determine outcome. We need to widen our understanding of the synergic effect of diets and nutrient-gene interactions related to nutrient/disease risk.