title: Taurine in cardiovascular disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The shift of modern dietary regimens from 'Mediterranean' to 'western' style is believed to be responsible, in part, for the increase in cardiovascular disease, obesity, type II diabetes and cancer. A classic 'Mediterranean' diet consists of adequate intake of seafood, vegetables, fruit, whole grain and nonpurified monounsaturated vegetable oil. Thus, in humans, dietary intake of seafood is the major source of taurine, as the level of endogenously produced taurine is low.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Taurine has been shown to affect coronary artery disease, blood pressure, plasma cholesterol and myocardial function in animal models of human disease. A major role of taurine is to act as an antioxidant and absorb hypochlorous acid but not the oxidative radical. It seems that this beneficial effect of taurine in antioxidant therapy has not been well promoted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This review will focus on determining whether taurine could be a factor contributing to the further prevention of heart disease.
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical and Health Science, Victoria University, St Albans, Victoria, Australia. Anthony.Zulli@vu.edu.au
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zulli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean; D006801:Humans; D006997:Hypochlorous Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D017747:Seafood; D013654:Taurine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D013654:Taurine; D006997:Hypochlorous Acid