Anthocyanin Supplementation Alleviates Antithrombotic Risk by Inhibiting Platelet Activity in Humans.

BACKGROUND: Platelet hyperactivity has a crucial role in initiating vascular thrombosis and subsequent cardiovascular disease (CVD). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the effect of anthocyanins (AC) on platelet aggregation and activation and lipid profile. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 26 healthy participants consumed 320 mg of AC/day in the form of Medox® capsules for 28 days. SETTING: This study was conducted in the laboratories of the School of Medical Sciences, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 26 randomly recruited healthy 25- to 75-year-old participants completed this study. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Fasting blood samples were collected pre- and post-the intervention period to perform platelet activation studies by measuring platelet surface marker expression of CD41a and P-selectin, and platelet-monocyte aggregates in adenosine diphosphate (ADP) stimulated platelets. Platelet aggregation studies were performed by stimulating platelets with various agonists such as ADP, collagen and arachidonic acid. Full blood examination, coagulation and biochemistry profile analyses were also performed pre- and post-intervention. Flow cytometric analysis showed a significant effect of AC on the expression of P-selectin as measured by the platelet surface expression of CD62p. RESULTS: There was a significant reduction of ADP-stimulated platelet aggregation. Hematologic analysis showed a significant reduction of mean platelet volume, mean cell hemoglobin, and mean cell hemoglobin concentration. Coagulation analysis demonstrated significant attenuation of fibrinogen level in the blood. CONCLUSION: This study showed inhibition of platelet activity, platelet aggregation and mean platelet volume (MPV). These results suggest that AC has a positive impact on attenuating platelet activity, which might minimize thrombotic risk.

Potential of anthocyanin as an anti-inflammatory agent: a human clinical trial on type 2 diabetic, diabetic at-risk and healthy adults.

OBJECTIVE: The present research aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory potential of dietary anthocyanin (ACN) in type 2 diabetic (T2D), T2D-at-risk and healthy individuals. Furthermore, dietary inflammatory index (DII) was used to study the association of diet with biomarkers of inflammation. RESEARCH METHODS: An open-label clinical trial was conducted at Griffith University investigating the efficacy of 320 mg ACN supplementation per day over the course of 4 weeks. Diabetes-associated inflammatory biomarkers and relevant biochemical and physical parameters were tested pre-and post-intervention, and participants' dietary inflammatory potential was estimated. RESULTS: A significant reduction in the pro-inflammatory biomarkers' interleukin-6, interleukin-18, and tumour necrosis factor-α was observed in the T2D group. In addition, some, but not all, biochemical parameters including fasting blood glucose, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and uric acid were significantly improved in T2D-at-risk group. Moreover, a significant difference was detected between the DII scores of the healthy and T2D groups. DII score for the T2D group was consistent with an anti-inflammatory diet. CONCLUSION: Anti-inflammatory potential of dietary ACN in T2D participants was evidenced in the present study. Although, anti-inflammatory dietary patterns of T2D participants may have accelerated the anti-inflammatory effect of the ACN capsules supplemented in this trial.

Anthocyanins in berries exhibited anti-atherogenicity and antiplatelet activities in a metabolic syndrome population.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a global challenge for atherosclerosis. It was hypothesized that a four-week consumption of anthocyanin supplements by MetS patients who had three or more risk factors linked with metabolic syndrome would have a greater improvement in cardiometabolic biomarkers and would also reduce the risk of thrombosis. A total of 55 participants in two groups of Normal healthy and MetS (age 25-75y) were given 320 mg anthocyanin supplements twice daily for 4 weeks. Platelet coagulant activities, lipid profiles, fasting blood glucose, and inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers were measured before and after supplementation to evaluate the atheroprotective effects of anthocyanins in the study subjects. Four weeks of anthocyanin supplementation significantly decreased cardiometabolic risk factors including the average serum fasting blood glucose (FBG) (by 13.3%, P < .05) and lipid profiles by significant reduction in triglyceride (by 24.9%, P < .05) and LDL-C (by 33.1%, P < .05) in the MetS group. Anthocyanin supplementation also decreased high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level (by 28%, P < .05) in females. However, no significant differences in serum UA (uric acid) and HDL-C were observed between anthocyanin pre- and post-treatment in both groups. Moreover, Anthocyanin supplements decreased ADP-induced platelet activation configuration expressed as P-selectin by 40% (P < .05). There was a positive correlation between decreased hs-CRP values and the levels of LDL-C and FBG in the MetS group (P < .05). These results support the hypothesis that anthocyanin supplementation exerts anti-atherogenicity effects by improving cardiometabolic risk factors and reducing thrombogenicity in the MetS population.

Assessment of in vitro Effects of Anthocyanins on Platelet Function.

BACKGROUND: Increased platelet activity plays a significant role in the development of arterial thrombosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Natural antioxidants including anthocyanin (AC) have gained considerable interest due to their hypothesized antithrombotic potential. PRIMARY STUDY OBJECTIVE: Our study aimed to examine the in vitro effect of AC compounds on platelet activation and aggregation. METHODS: Fasting blood samples were collected from healthy volunteers (n = 13). A full blood examination was done to exclude any abnormal specimen. Flow cytometer assessed platelet activity by recording platelet surface markers expression of P-selectin (CD62P) and PAC-1. Platelet aggregation studies were performed by stimulating platelets using three different agonists adenosine diphosphate (ADP), collagen and arachidonic acid (AA). SETTING: The study was done in the school of Medical Sciences, Griffith University. PARTICIPANTS: Thirteen healthy adult participants were involved for blood collection. INTERVENTION: AC was prepared using hemicellulose capsules sourced from Bilberries and Black Currants. RESULTS: Anthocyanin (50 mg/L) significantly inhibited AA-induced platelet aggregation. Expression of P-selectin was significantly suppressed by 50 mg/L AC as measured by flow cytometer. CONCLUSIONS: AC attenuates platelet function by suppressing P-selectin expression and influencing Thromboxane A2 pathway (AA stimulation). These results provide further evidence for the effect of AC and the possible mechanism by which AC reduces platelet aggregation and activation. This study supports future human intervention trials to show that AC may act as a complement to other antiplatelet agents in reducing the risk of thrombosis.

Potential of Anthocyanin to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease in Diabetes.

Context • Type 2 diabetes mellitus is an independent precipitating factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Heart disease is one of the leading causes of mortality in patients with diabetes, mainly due to macrovascular complications, such as atherosclerosis. Although aspirin is a frequently used therapy for the inhibition of platelet hyperactivity, many studies suggest that aspirin resistance is rising. Objective • The study intended to investigate the benefits of anthocyanin (AC) as an antioxidant with inhibitory effects on platelets and, consequently, its potential usefulness as complementary antiplatelet therapy to attenuate the negative effects of atherosclerosis and CVD in patients with diabetes. Design • The research team performed a literature review. The team conducted a database search from 2007 to 2017 using Library of Congress, LISTA, PubMed, and Web of Science Core Collection databases, using the following keywords: anthocyanins, platelet, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Setting • The study took place at the School of Medical Sciences at Griffith University's Gold Coast campus (Southport, Australia). Results • Platelets have a major pathophysiological role of atherosclerosis and consequently CVD in diabetes. Antiplatelet drugs have a potent inhibitory effect of thrombotic and CVD risks in diabetes. Dietary antioxidants including ACs have a potential platelet inhibitory effect. Hence, ACs may act as complementary therapy to reduce CVD in diabetes. Conclusions • Although antiplatelet drugs such as aspirin provide significant action in the management of CVD, aspirin has limited benefits in diabetes. An AC antioxidant has a potential effect as an antiplatelet agent that subsequently can prevent atherosclerosis and CVD and, therefore, AC may be an alternative to other antiplatelet drugs such as aspirin. However, more interventional studies and large-scale clinical trials are necessary to prove the efficiency of AC as an alternative to other platelet-inhibitory drugs.

Thrombotic and cardiovascular risks in type two diabetes; Role of platelet hyperactivity.

One of the most commonly identified chronic illnesses in many countries is type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). T2DM denotes an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Heart disease is one of the causes of mortality in patients with diabetes, mainly due to the macrovascular complications. One of these macrovascular complications in diabetes is atherosclerosis, which involves a complicated pathophysiological process. Besides hyperglycemia, oxidative stress plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of diabetes and its associated risk of CVD. There are many other factors including molecular, metabolic, lipid, fibrinolytic, and platelet function disorders precipitate to thrombotic and CVD risks in T2DM. Also, Platelets have an increased response to procoagulants in patients with diabetes. Platelet hyperactivity, in the presence of oxidative stress, has a major effect on the progression of thrombotic and CVD events. This review will discuss the impact of the above factors and the potential effects of platelet hyperactivity on thrombotic and cardiovascular risks.