title: Aronia melanocarpa extract reduces blood pressure, serum endothelin, lipid, and oxidative stress marker levels in patients with metabolic syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Experimental studies have shown that anthocyanins may exert pleiotropic effects. The aim of the study was to determine the influence of Aronia melanocarpa extract on blood pressure and serum concentration of endothelin-1 (ET-1), lipids, glucose, uric acid, C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, the antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), superoxide dysmutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid-reacting substrates, TBARS) in erythrocytes of patients with metabolic syndrome (MS).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study comprised 22 healthy volunteers and 25 patients with MS. Patients with MS were treated with aronia extract (3 x 100 mg/day) for two months. The above parameters were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After two months of therapy, statistically significant decreases were observed in SBP (143.40+/-7.87 vs. 131.83+/-12.24 mmHg, p<0.001), DBP (87.20+/-9.9 vs. 82.13+/-10.33 mmHg, p<0.05), ET-1 (2.44+/-0.51 vs. 1.74+/-0.42 pg/ml, p<0.001), TC (242.80+/-34.48 vs. 227.96+/-33.07 mg/dl, p<0.001), LDL-C (158.71+/-35.78 vs. 146.21+/-34.63 mg/dl, p<0.01), TG (215.92+/-63.61 vs. 187.58+/-90 mg/dl, p<0.05), TBARS (0.0712+/-0.0191 vs. 0.0362+/-0.0135 micromol/g-Hb, p<0.001), and CAT (261.30+/-59.78 vs. 213.34+/-47.36 U/mg-Hb) and significant increases in SOD (2380.63+/-419.91 vs. 3066.53+/-542.24 U/g-Hb, p<0.001), GSH-Px (12.60+/-5.97 vs. 19.18+/-9.09 U/g-Hb, p<0.01), and fibrinogen levels (249.20+/-27.17 vs. 276.67+/-57.41 mg/dl, p<0.05) compared with the baseline values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aronia extract may be of benefit to patients with MS. This seems to result from the influence of anthocyanins and possibly other flavonoids on blood pressure, serum level of ET-1, lipids, and oxidative status (GSH-Px, SOD, TBARS).
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Diseases with Clinical Pharmacology and Therapy Monitoring Unit, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Marlena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Broncel
authors.forename: Marzena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kozirog
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Duchnowicz
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koter-Michalak
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sikora
authors.forename: Julita
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chojnowska-Jezierska
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D002374:Catalase / Q000097:blood; D016232:Endothelins / Q000097:blood*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D046936:Photinia / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances
chemical_list: D016232:Endothelins; D008055:Lipids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase