Consumption of both low and high (−)-epicatechin apple puree attenuates platelet reactivity and increases plasma concentrations of nitric oxide metabolites: A randomized controlled trial

• Published in: Archives of biochemistry and biophysics Vol. 559; pp. 29 - 37
• Main Authors: Gasper, Amy, Hollands, Wendy, Casgrain, Amelie, Saha, Shikha, Teucher, Birgit, Dainty, Jack R., Venema, Dini P., Hollman, Peter C., Rein, Maarit J., Nelson, Rebecca, Williamson, Gary, Kroon, Paul A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.10.2014
• Subjects: adenosine diphosphate; Adult; apples; Ascorbic Acid - blood; aspirin; Biomarkers - blood; black tea; Blood Platelets - drug effects; Blood Platelets - physiology; C-Reactive Protein - metabolism; Catechin - analysis; Catechin - pharmacology; Catechin - urine; Eating; endothelial dysfunction; Endothelin-1 - blood; epicatechin; epinephrine; flavanol-rich cocoa; Flavonoids; Food Handling; food sources; fruit puree; grape juice; green tea catechins; Humans; in-vivo; Lipids - blood; Male; Malus - chemistry; metabolites; Middle Aged; Nitric oxide; Nitric Oxide - metabolism; Platelet reactivity; randomized clinical trials; red wine; reduces blood-pressure; regular ingestion; Young Adult; Platelet reactivity; Flavonoids; Nitric oxide
• ISSN: 0003-9861; 1096-0384; 1096-0384
• DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2014.05.026

•Apples are a rich dietary source of flavanols.•Apple puree ingestion induces transient decreases in platelet activity.•Apple puree ingestion increases plasma concentrations of nitric oxide metabolites in the short term. We hypothesised that consumption of flavanol-containing apple puree would modulate platelet activity and increase nitric oxide metabolite status, and that high flavanol apple puree would exert a greater effect than low flavanol apple puree. 25 subjects consumed 230g of apple puree containing 25 and 100mg epicatechin (low and high flavanol apple puree, respectively) and aspirin (75mg) in random order. Measurements were made at baseline, acutely after treatment (2, 6 and 24h), and after 14d of treatment. Low flavanol apple puree significantly attenuated ADP and epinephrine-induced integrin-β3 expression 2h and 6h after consumption and ADP and epinephrine-induced P-selectin expression within 2h of consumption. High flavanol apple puree attenuated epinephrine and ADP-induced integrin-β3 expression after 2 and 6h. ADP and epinephrine-induced integrin-β3 expression was significantly attenuated 2, 6 and 24h after consumption of aspirin, whilst 14 d aspirin consumption attenuated collagen-induced P-selectin expression only. The plasma total nitric oxide metabolite conc. was significantly increased 6h after consumption of both low and high flavanol apple purees. In conclusion, consumption of apple purees containing ⩾25 or 100mg flavanols transiently attenuated ex vivo integrin-β3 and P-selectin expression and increased plasma nitric oxide metabolite conc. in healthy subjects, but the effect was not enhanced for the high flavanol apple puree.