[Paracelsus] Dark chocolate improves endothelial and platelet function (fwd)

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Subject: [Paracelsus] Dark chocolate improves endothelial and platelet function

Hermann F, Spieker LE, Ruschitzka F, et al. Dark

chocolate improves endothelial and platelet

function. Heart 2006;92:119-120.

http://heart.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/92/1/119

http://heart.bmjjournals.com/cgi/reprint/92/1/119

Heart 2006;92:119-120; doi:10.1136/hrt.2005.063362

© 2006 by BMJ Publishing Group Ltd & British Cardiac Society

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SCIENTIFIC LETTER

Dark chocolate improves endothelial and platelet function

F Hermann1, L E Spieker1, F Ruschitzka1, I

Sudano1, M Hermann1, C Binggeli1, T F Lüscher1, W

Riesen2, G Noll1 and R Corti1

1 Cardiology, Cardiovascular Centre, University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland

2 The Institute for Clinical Chemistry and

Haematology, Kantonsspital St Gallen, St Gallen,

Switzerland

Correspondence to:

Dr o Corti

Cardiology, Cardiovascular Center, University

Hospital, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland;

roberto.corti@...

Accepted

20 April 2005

Keywords: endothelium; platelet adhesion;

oxidative stress; antioxidant; chocolate

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The effects of chocolate on cardiovascular health

are still a matter of debate. Chocolate may

adversely affect cardiovascular risk because of

its effects on glucose, lipids, and body weight

or potentially favour cardiovascular health

through antioxidative effects of chocolate

ingredients, such as flavonoids (present in dark

but not white chocolate).

Endothelial dysfunction and platelet activation

are cornerstones in the pathogenesis of

atherothrombosis, leading to vasoconstriction,

thrombus formation, and inflammation. Smoking is

a major cardiovascular risk factor. The

mechanisms promoting atherothrombosis in smokers

primarily include increased oxidative stress that

enhances proatherogenic processes such as low

density lipoprotein oxidation and inactivation of

endothelium derived nitric oxide. Platelets

contribute both to acute coronary syndromes and

to the progression of atherothrombosis. Both

active and passive cigarette smoking has

consistently been shown to induce endothelial

dysfunction. Therefore, smokers serve as an ideal

model to study the beneficial vascular effects of

antioxidant strategies such as dark . . .

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