1.
The Therapeutic Roles of Cinnamaldehyde against Cardiovascular Diseases.
Lu, L, Xiong, Y, Zhou, J, Wang, G, Mi, B, Liu, G
Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity. 2022;2022:9177108
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Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is still a growing concern around the world. Current treatments for the prevention of CVD are inadequate due to limited efficacy and the occurrence of side effects and so there is a need for new therapies. Cinnamaldehyde (CA), which is an active constituent of cinnamon has been reported to have protective effects against certain diseases and evidence is growing for its use against the initiation and development of CVD. This review study aimed to evaluate the cardioprotective effects of CA. The review reported that CA is a compound that is relatively safe but is not easily absorbed by the body, however it can be encapsulated into capsules that enable it to be more easily absorbed. CA was reported to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antithrombotic, blood cell dilatory and blood sugar lowering properties. In addition, CA was shown to prevent the death of cells of the heart and modulate the gut microbiota all of which may be cardioprotective. It was concluded that CA can benefit the heart in several ways. This study could be used by healthcare professionals to understand that cinnamon may be of benefit to heart health, however as studies in humans were not reviewed, further research is warranted before recommendations are made.
Abstract
Evidence from epidemiological studies has demonstrated that the incidence and mortality of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) increase year by year, which pose a great threat on social economy and human health worldwide. Due to limited therapeutic benefits and associated adverse effects of current medications, there is an urgent need to uncover novel agents with favorable safety and efficacy. Cinnamaldehyde (CA) is a bioactive phytochemical isolated from the stem bark of Chinese herbal medicine Cinnamon and has been suggested to possess curative roles against the development of CVDs. This integrated review intends to summarize the physicochemical and pharmacokinetic features of CA and discuss the recent advances in underlying mechanisms and potential targets responsible for anti-CVD properties of CA. The CA-related cardiovascular protective mechanisms could be attributed to the inhibition of inflammation and oxidative stress, improvement of lipid and glucose metabolism, regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis, suppression of cardiac fibrosis, and platelet aggregation and promotion of vasodilation and angiogenesis. Furthermore, CA is likely to inhibit CVD progression via affecting other possible processes including autophagy and ER stress regulation, gut microbiota and immune homeostasis, ion metabolism, ncRNA expression, and TRPA1 activation. Collectively, experiments reported previously highlight the therapeutic effects of CA and clinical trials are advocated to offer scientific basis for the compound future applied in clinical practice for CVD prophylaxis and treatment.
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Spices and Atherosclerosis.
Tsui, PF, Lin, CS, Ho, LJ, Lai, JH
Nutrients. 2018;10(11)
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Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the world. Atherosclerosis, characterised by the accumulation of fat and inflammation in blood vessels, is the main feature of CVD. Common spices such as pepper, ginger, garlic, onion, cinnamon and chilli may have effects on the initiation and development of atherosclerosis. In this review, the authors focused on the potential protective effects of spices, in atherosclerosis and CVD. Most studies to date have been carried out either in cell culture or in animals. These have revealed various potential mechanisms by which spices exert their beneficial effects, including anti-oxidant, anti-atherogenic, anti-coagulant, anti-inflammatory and cholesterol-lowering properties. There are some human studies evaluating the effects of spices on high blood pressure. Although saffron, turmeric, and chilli pepper had no effect on blood pressure, cinnamon demonstrated significant blood pressure lowering effects in patients with diabetes. Garlic has been shown to have the potential to reduce blood pressure in patients with high blood pressure. These studies provide information on the beneficial roles of spices in reducing cardiovascular risk factors. The types of spices consumed vary across cultures, and currently there are no available population studies showing that consumption of spices is associated with reduction of CVD nor any recommendations for the amounts of spices to be consumed. The authors conclude that the consumption of spices should be encouraged across countries to promote good health.
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the world. Atherosclerosis, characterized by lipid accumulation and chronic inflammation in the vessel wall, is the main feature of cardiovascular disease. Although the amounts of fruits and vegetables present in the diets vary by country, diets, worldwide, contain large amounts of spices; this may have positive or negative effects on the initiation and development of atherosclerosis. In this review, we focused on the potential protective effects of specific nutrients from spices, such as pepper, ginger, garlic, onion, cinnamon and chili, in atherosclerosis and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The mechanisms, epidemiological analysis, and clinical studies focusing on a variety of spices are covered in this review. Based on the integrated information, we aimed to raise specific recommendations for people with different dietary styles for the prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease through dietary habit adjustments.