Phenolic Content of Virgin Olive Oil Improves Ischemic Reactive Hyperemia in Hypercholesterolemic Patients

• Published in: Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2005-11, Vol.46 (10), p.1864-1868
• Main Authors: Ruano, Juan, Lopez-Miranda, Jose, Fuentes, Francisco, Moreno, Juan A., Bellido, Cecilia, Perez-Martinez, Pablo, Lozano, Aquiles, Gómez, Purificación, Jiménez, Yolanda, Pérez Jiménez, Francisco
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Antioxidants; Atherosclerosis; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiology; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular disease; Cholesterol; Cross-Over Studies; Dietary Fats, Unsaturated - pharmacology; Disorders of blood lipids. Hyperlipoproteinemia; Endothelium, Vascular - drug effects; Female; Hormone replacement therapy; Humans; Hypercholesterolemia - physiopathology; Hyperemia - diet therapy; Ischemia - diet therapy; Lipoproteins; Male; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Middle Aged; Nitrates; Oils & fats; Olive Oil; Oxidative stress; Phenols; Plant Oils - pharmacology; Plasma; Studies; Triglycerides; Vasodilation - drug effects
• ISSN: 0735-1097; 1558-3597
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2005.06.078

Phenolic Content of Virgin Olive Oil Improves Ischemic Reactive Hyperemia in Hypercholesterolemic Patients Juan Ruano, Jose Lopez-Miranda, Francisco Fuentes, Juan A. Moreno, Cecilia Bellido, Pablo Perez-Martinez, Aquiles Lozano, Purificación Gómez, Yolanda Jiménez, Francisco Pérez Jiménez Ischemic reactive hyperemia is impaired during the postprandial state. In this study we evaluated whether this could be prevented by the intake of virgin olive oil high in phenolic compounds. Twenty-one hypercholesterolemic volunteers received two fat meals prepared with virgin olive oil with different phenol concentrations. Ischemic reactive hyperemia, postprandial lipid fractions, lipoperoxides, 8-epi prostaglandin F2α, and nitrates/nitrites were obtained at baseline, and after the two breakfasts. After the polyphenol-rich fat meal, a reduction in oxidative stress, an increase of the nitric oxide metabolites, and an improvement in ischemic reactive hyperemia were observed. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of the phenolic content of virgin olive oil on endothelial reactivity. Endothelial-dependent vasodilatation is impaired during the postprandial state, and oxidative stress could play a key role in its development. Twenty-one hypercholesterolemic volunteers received two breakfasts, using a randomized sequential crossover design. Both arms received the same olive oil, but one had its phenolic acid content reduced from 400 to 80 ppm. Ischemic reactive hyperemia (IRH) was measured with a laser-Doppler procedure at baseline and 2 h and 4 h after oil intake. Postprandial plasma concentrations of lipid fractions, lipoperoxides (LPO), 8-epi prostaglandin-F2α, and nitrates/nitrites (NO(x)) were obtained at baseline and after 2 h of the fat meal. The intake of the polyphenol-rich breakfast was associated with an improvement in endothelial function, as well as a greater increase in concentrations of NO(x)(p < 0.001) and a lower increase in LPO (p < 0.005) and 8-epi prostaglandin-F2α(p < 0.001) than the ones induced by the low polyphenol fat meal. A positive correlation was found to exist between NO(x)and enhanced endothelial function at the second hour (r = 0.669; p < 0.01). Furthermore, a negative correlation was found between IRH and LPO (r = −0.203; p < 0.05) and 8-epi prostaglandin-F2αlevels (r = −0.440; p < 0.05). A meal containing high-phenolic virgin olive oil improves ischemic reactive hyperemia during the postprandial state. This phenomenon might be med