A flavonoid‐rich diet increases nitric oxide production in rat aorta

• Published in: British journal of pharmacology Vol. 135; no. 4; pp. 910 - 916
• Main Authors: Benito, S, Lopez, D, Sáiz, M P, Buxaderas, S, Sánchez, J, Puig‐Parellada, P, Mitjavila, M T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.02.2002; Nature Publishing
• Subjects: Acetylcholine - pharmacology; Animals; Aorta, Thoracic - metabolism; Aorta, Thoracic - physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Catechin - pharmacology; Cyclic GMP - metabolism; dealcoholated red wine; Diet; electron spin resonance spectroscopy; endothelium; Endothelium, Vascular - metabolism; Ethanol - analysis; Flavonoids; Flavonoids - chemistry; Flavonoids - pharmacology; General pharmacology; In Vitro Techniques; Male; Medical sciences; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular - metabolism; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular - physiology; nitric oxide; Nitric Oxide - biosynthesis; Nitric Oxide Synthase - metabolism; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Phenols - analysis; Polymers - analysis; Quercetin - pharmacology; rat aorta; Rats; Rats, Wistar; superoxide anion; Superoxides - metabolism; Vasodilation - drug effects; Vasodilator Agents - pharmacology; Wine; Catechin; Enzyme; Cardioprotective agent; Oral administration; 3',5'-GMP; Gene expression; Red wine; Flavonoid; Nitric-oxide synthase; Nitric acid; Vasodilation; Endothelium; Diet; Animal; Quercetin; Aorta; Acetylcholine; Oxidoreductases; Circulatory system; Mechanism of action
• ISSN: 0007-1188; 1476-5381
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0704534

Red wine intake is associated with a low risk of cardiovascular disease. This effect has been partly attributed to the action of polyphenolic compounds, which decrease the oxidation of plasma low density lipoproteins. Moreover, nitric oxide (•NO) is a vasodilator and polyphenolic compounds induce endothelium‐dependent vasorelaxation in vitro. Here we studied whether a diet rich in dealcoholated red wine (DRW) increases acetylcholine‐induced vasorelaxation and whether ingestion of DRW‐, quercetin‐ or catechin‐rich diets modifies the •NO‐cyclic guanosine‐3′,5′‐monophosphate (cyclic GMP) pathway and superoxide anion (O2.−) release in aorta in a resting state in rats fed semi‐purified diets containing either 35% (v w−1) DRW, 0.3% (w w−1) quercetin or 0.3% (w w−1) catechin for 10 days. •NO‐mediated vasorelaxation induced by acetylcholine was greater in rats fed the DRW‐rich diet than in those that received the control diet. Expression of endothelial •NO synthase (eNOS) was similar in the four dietary groups. The aortic rings of rats fed either the DRW‐, quercetin‐, or catechin‐rich diets showed higher NOS activity, •NO production and cyclic GMP content than those of rats fed the control diet. No changes were observed in O2.− production. In summary, diets rich in either DRW, quercetin or catechin induced endothelium‐dependent vasorelaxation in rat aorta in a resting state through the enhancement of •NO production, without modifying O2.− generation, thus the bioavailability of •NO was increased. The increase in the •NO‐cyclic GMP pathway explains the beneficial effect of flavonoids at vascular level. British Journal of Pharmacology (2002) 135, 910–916; doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0704534