RESEARCH IN SPAIN REVEALS THAT OLIVES, GARLIC, GRAPES, ROSEMARY AND SAFFRON ACT AS DRUGS AGAINST CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

An investigation initiated from a bachelor's thesis at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, with the participation of researchers from the Neurosciences Institute of the UAB (INc-UAB), the University of Barcelona, and institutions in Cuba and Chile, has resulted in a comprehensive literature review of a group of Mediterranean plants whose active ingredients are reported to have pharmacological actions in the field of cardiovascular diseases that most affect the population. The study has been published in Food Bioscience.

Cardiovascular problems are the leading cause of disease and mortality worldwide. Plant extracts, rich in bioactive compounds, have significantly contributed to the development of medications, as they offer therapeutic potential for various of these diseases. However, their use is limited by potential side effects, drug interactions, and the lack of scientific evidence from high-quality preclinical and clinical studies.

During the 2023-24 academic year, biologist Mateu Anguera Tejedor made a significant contribution in this field with his undergraduate thesis in Biology at UAB, supervised by the former postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Neuroscience of UAB (INc-UAB) and current professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences of the University of Barcelona, René Delgado.

The study, recently published as a scientific article in the journal Food Bioscience, provides an overview of the mechanisms of action and preclinical and clinical evidence, as well as the adverse effects of essential bioactive compounds derived from a selected group of Mediterranean plants, which are integrated into the Mediterranean diet.

Among the species analyzed, six representative plants and their major active components are reported: garlic (Allium sativum, with diallyl trisulfide, allicin, and S-allyl [cysteine]), hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna, with quercetin, apigenin, and chlorogenic acid), saffron (Crocus sativus, with crocin and safranal), olive (Olea europaea, with oleic acid, oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, and oleacein), rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus, with rosmarinic acid and carnosic acid), and grapevine (Vitis vinifera, with resveratrol). The review focused on the most important pharmacological mechanisms, highlighting their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and vasodilatory actions, as well as the regulation of lipid metabolism, which may be relevant for conditions such as atherosclerosis and hypertension. The results show that these active components hold promise in the potential treatment of atherosclerosis and could reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

In addition to summarizing the current scientific evidence, the study serves as a reference guide for future research, as it identifies possible knowledge gaps and provides timely recommendations for designing preclinical and clinical studies in this field. Key areas for future exploration include the long-term safety of these compounds, the assessment of their synergistic effects when consumed as part of the Mediterranean diet, and the need to establish standardized protocols in controlled clinical settings. By expanding the scientific basis of these traditional remedies, this review can help pave the way for using them as active pharmaceutical ingredients in the development of future phyto-medicines.

The combined ingestion could alter the efficacy of each extract

The research team considers that the use of these natural extracts is promising, but their combined ingestion could influence therapeutic outcomes due to the “matrix effect,” which implies that dietary components may alter the efficacy of each extract, either enhancing or diminishing their individual benefits. Understanding this interaction is essential to optimize the therapeutic application of these plant extracts in a dietary context. It is important to recognize that solid evidence of the impact of natural extracts on humans is often lacking, so researchers warn that “the label 'natural' does not guarantee safety,” highlighting the need to prioritize pharmacokinetic, toxicological, and clinical studies to assess their effectiveness, safety, and efficiency compared to existing medications.

The research is part of the research group led by Professor Francesc Jiménez Altayó from the Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics, and Toxicology at UAB. He is a researcher at the Center for Biomedical Research in Cardiovascular Diseases (CIBERCV) and the Institute of Neurosciences at UAB (INc-UAB). Professor Jiménez Altayó was the mentor of Professor René Delgado Hernández, a Cuban researcher from the University of Havana, who was affiliated with the María Zambrano program in the Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics, and Toxicology at the Faculty of Medicine of UAB during the 2022-23 academic year. Currently, Professor Delgado Hernández teaches at the Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Care Unit at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences at the University of Barcelona. The preparation and final publication of the research involved faculty and researchers from Cuban and Chilean institutions with recognized expertise in the pharmacology of natural products.

2024-12-16T17:04:59Z