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(Circulation. 2007;116:II_831.)
© 2007 American Heart Association, Inc.

Diabetic CVD: Clinical and Experimental I

Abstract 3662: Flavinoid Effect on Aggregation and Stimulation of Thrombocytes, CRP and Lipids (FEAST-CAL Study)

Miruais S Hamed¹; Steven Gambert²; Kevin P Bliden³; Joseph DiChiara³; Oscar Bailon³; Anand Singla³; Mark J Antonino³; Udaya S Tantry³; Paul Gurbel³

¹ Sinai Cntr for Thrombosis Rsch, Baltimore, MD
² Sinai Hosp of Baltimore, Baltimore, MD
³ Sinai Cntr for Thrombosis Rsch, Baltimore, MD

Background: It has been suggested that flavinoids may have positive health effects on the cardiovascular system by reducing lipid peroxidation, arterial hypertension and platelet aggregation. We examined the effect of dark chocolate (DC) and green tea (GT), two sources of flavinoids, on platelet function, hsCRP, and lipid levels.

Methods: In a prospective, single-crossover pilot study of 28 healthy volunteers (9 males), we analyzed the effect of DC (3.5 ounces 70% Lindt dark chocolate consumed q.i.d) and GT (Lipton green tea - 1 bag steeped in 8 ounces water for 3 mins. immediately after boiling, q.i.d) for one week each (providing an estimated 700mg flavinoids/day). We measured adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-, collagen-, thrombin receptor activator peptide-, and arachidonic acid (AA)-induced platelet aggregation by light transmittance aggregometry; total and ADP- and AA-induced activated glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa and P-selectin expression by flow cytometry; hsCRP levels by ELISA; and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels.

Results: Following DC, a significant reduction in LDL (120±38 vs. 112±37mg/dL, p<0.02), an increase in HDL (66±23 vs. 72±26mg/dL, p<0.0007), and reduction in ADP- and AA-induced activated GPIIb/IIIa expression (27.3± 27.8 vs. 17.4± 20.5MFI, p=0.007; and 9.2± 6.5 vs. 6.1± 2.2MFI, p=0.009, respectively) were observed. In addition, DC significantly reduced hsCRP levels in females (1.8± 2.1 vs. 1.4± 1.7mg/dL, p=0.04). Lipid levels, hsCRP and activated GPIIb/IIIa expression were unaffected by GT and neither DC nor GT significantly affected platelet aggregation, total GPIIb/IIIa or P-selectin expression.

Conclusions: Dark chocolate ingestion significantly improved lipid profiles, decreased ADP- and AA-induced activated GPIIb/IIIa expression, and reduced inflammation in women. These benefits were not observed with green tea. We conclude that ingestion of DC may have cardioprotective properties which deserve further investigation in larger scale confirmatory trials.

This Article Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Google Scholar Articles by Hamed, M. S Articles by Gurbel, P. PubMed Articles by Hamed, M. S Articles by Gurbel, P.