Topic 7: Cardiovascular System & Phytomedicines Cardiovascular Disease, Lipids and & phytomedicines Flashcards
Thrombus
a soft gel-like coagulated phase of blood resulting from conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin that may or may not be occlusive to the vessel
Thrombosis
clotting in a blood vessel that can result in infarction of tissues supplied by the vessel
Hypertension
high arterial blood pressure
Coronary Arteries
arteries that provide oxygenated blood to the heart
Coronary Artery Disease (Ischemic Heart Disease)
plaque deposition in the coronary arteries which over time can result in a reduction or blockage of the arterial blood supply and oxygen supply to cardiac muscle
if blood supply is reduced or interrupted for a long enough time the cardiac muscle becomes ischemic (low in blood supply) resulting in infarction and death of the muscle tissue supplied by the clogged artery
Angina Pectoris
ischemia to the heart from coronary artery disease results in constricting pain in the chest that sometimes radiates to the shoulder and down the inside of the arm
Infarction
sudden blood supply insufficiency due to thrombus, emboli, or vascular torsion resulting in a macroscopic area of necrosis due to tissue death
Myocardial Infarction (MI) (Heart Attack)
infarction of an area of the heart muscle secondary to coronary artery occlusion
death may result if infarction is sufficiently large and/or in a vulnerable area of the heart muscle
Environmental Triggers that Modulate Genetic Predisposition to Cardiovascular Disease
- diet/overall caloric intake
- obesity
- level of physical activity
- stress, physiological/social
Nutrition Constituents
- protein
- fats
- carbohydrates
- vitamins
- minerals
- phytochemicals/secondary metabolite compounds
Plant Constituents in Human Nutrition
- vitamins: carbon containing organic substances present in minute amounts in food plants that are essential to normal metabolism
- minerals: inorganic substances that contain elements other than carbon and are present in minute amounts in food plants
- phytochemicals/secondary metabolite compounds: organic substances present in minute amounts in food and medicinal plants that may have beneficial effects for humans
Chemical Classes From Plants
- carbohydrates and lipids: intermediates or products of primary plant metabolism
- alkaloids: nitrogen atom in heterocyclic ring; major source is flowering plants but also found in toads, ants, birds
- nitrogen-containing compounds (excluding alkaloids): amino acids, proteins, peptides, amines, cyanogenic glycosides, purines, pyrimidines
- phenolics, polyphenols: aromatic ring containing at least one hydroxyl group, flavonoids, lignins, tannins, melanin, coumarins, quinones
- terpenoids: largest group of natural plant compounds, derived from 5-carbon precursor isoprenes, camphor, digitalin, gossypol, carotenoids, cucurbitacins
Protein
- macromolecules with carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen-containing amino acids in peptide linkages
- there are 20 amino acids of which 9 are essential in the human diet and all 9 of these are found in plant foods
Carbohydrates
-small molecules (mono- and disaccharides):
mono: glucose, fructose, galactose
di: sucrose (glucose + fructose = table sugar), lactose (glucose + galactose = milk sugar
-larger molecules
polysaccharides: starch, glycogen, cellulose
refined grain polysaccharides: much of fiber, phytochemicals and vitamins have been removed
unrefined whole grain polysaccharides: rich in fiber, phytochemicals, vitamins
-inverse relationship between level of fiber in diet and risk for death
Exogenous Fatty Acids (Fat, Saturated Fatty Acids, Trans Fatty Acids)
fat: oily or greasy components that contain glycerol esters
saturated fatty acids: possess no double bonds and are solid at room temperature
trans fatty acids: mono- or polylunsaturated vegetable oils are hydrogenated which results in them becoming solid at room temperature; these fats are worse than saturated fats on cardiovascular health
Exogenous Fatty Acids (Unsaturated Fatty Acids, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Essential Fatty Acids)
- unsaturated fatty acids: possess one or more double or triple bonds and are liquid at room temperature (mono- and polyunsaturated)
- omega-3 Fatty Acids: polyunsaturated fatty acids with double bond three carbons from methyl moiety (flaxseed oil, walnut oil, hemp oil, salmon oil)
- essential fatty acids: unsaturated fats from plants essential in human diet (linoleic and linolenic acids found in soy oil)
Dietary and Coronary Artery Disease
problem: saturated fat is main dietary factor that influences LDL cholesterol levels; high LDL cholesterol levels contribute to coronary artery disease
dietary solution: reduce saturated fat in diet to high insulin and high triglycerides (not desirable)
protein -> high insulin and high triglycerides (not desirable)
healthy fat -> monounsaturated/polyunsaturated (desirable)
Monounsaturated Oils
- olive oil
- canola oil
- peanut oil
- avocado oil
- sesame oil
- almond oil
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- polyunsaturated fatty acids with double bond three carbons from methyl moiety
- rich sources of omega-3-fatty acids: flaxseed, walnut, hemp, salmon, and black current oil
- omega-3-fatty acids reduce risk for cardiovascular disease and have antiinflammatory effects
Endogenous Lipids in Humans
- cholesterol
- TG = triglycerides
- LDL = low density lipoprotein
- HDL = high density lipoprotein
- desirable to have low cholesterol, TG, and LDL
- desirable to have high HDL
Coronary Artery Disease (Ischemic Heart Disease)
- plaque deposition in the coronary arteries which over time can result in a reduction or blockage of the arterial blood supply and oxygen supply to cardiac muscle
- if blood supply is reduced or interrupted for a long enough time the cardiac muscle becomes ischemic (low in blood supply) resulting in infarction and death of the muscle tissue supplied by the clogged artery
Dietary Fat and Cardiovascular Health
replacing saturated and hydrogenated trans fatty acids with non-hydrogenated monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats is more effective in preventing coronary artery disease in women than reducing overall fat intake
Syndrome X
-cluster of metabolic abnormalities secondary to insulin resistance and compensatory elevated insulin levels: high triglycerides low HDL cholesterol high blood clotting high blood pressure high coronary artery disease
Oxidative Stress on Vascular System
-clinical endpoints: TG level and LDL oxidation
high TG level -> high LDL oxidation -> high atherogenesis -> high CAD (coronary artery disease)
low TG level -> low LDL oxidation -> low atherogenesis -> low CAD (coronary artery disease)
Diet and Coronary Artery Disease
-problem: saturated fat is main dietary factor that influences LDL cholesterol levels; high LDL cholesterol levels contribute to coronary artery disease
-dietary solution: reduce saturated fat in diet to high insulin and high triglycerides (not desirable)
protein -> high insulin and high triglycerides (not desirable)
healthy fat: mono-/polyunsaturated (desirable)
Diet and Coronary Artery Disease Optimum Nutrient Ratios to Reduce Insulin Resistance
15% protein
45% complex carbohydrates
40% fat with majority monounsaturated and polyunsaturated sources
<10% of total calories as saturated fat
Coronary Artery Disease Development
- low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) can be oxidized by free radicals (molecular fragments) and become part of artery clogging plaque
- flavonoids in tea and other plant foods are thought to cause an antioxidant effect as: free-radical scavengers and/or act on enzymes that influence blood clot formation
Lycopersicum esculenta
- antioxidants/coronary artery disease
- from Solanum
- active ingredient: lycopene
- plant pigment carotenoid found in tomato paste and also in watermelons and grapefruit
- consumption of lycopene-rich foods work as potent antioxidants to reduce the risk of heart attacks
Vitamin E
- antioxidants/coronary artery disease
- daily vitamin E intake resulted in an angiographic reduction in coronary artery lesion progression
Phytoestrogen Compounds
- isoflavones from Glycine max (soybeans), lignans from Linum usitatissimum (flaxseed), and coumestans in Helianthus annuus (sunflowers)
- non-steroidal estrogens in foods that contain a phenyl substitute like estradiol
- have affinities for estrogen receptors in humans