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The vasculoprotective effects of flavonoid-rich cocoa and chocolate

Mary B. Engler*, Marguerite M. Engler

Department of Physiological Nursing, Laboratory of Cardiovascular Physiology, University of California at

San Francisco, 2 oret !ay, Suite N"#$, San Francisco, C% &'$'#()"$), US%

*eceived $' +ctober 2))# received in revised form 2' -ay 2))' accepted #$ -ay 2))'

Flavonoid represent a ubi.uitous and abundant group of polyphenols consumed in the diet,

primarily from fruits and vegetables/ 0hese compounds are derived from plants and act as

antio1idants due to their free radical and their ability to stabilie membrane by decreasing

membrane fluidity/ 0he consumption of these flavonoids is associated 3ith benefical effects

for human health/ Flavonoids have been reported to have benefical influence on o1idative

stress, vascular function, platelet function, and immune responses/ Chocolate has been

found to be a rich food source of flavonoids in comparison to many common food and

beverage/ Some +ne of the mechanisms responsible for these effects involves their

inhibition of the o1idation of lo3 density lipoprotein 4LDL5/ 0hese flavonoids are found in

the cacao bean, these flavonoids are found in the cacao bean, the fruit seed of the cacao tree,

3hich is used in the manufacture of cocoa products and chocolate/ 6nterestingly, there is a

linear relationship bet3een the amount of cocoa flavonoids in samples of cocoa and

chocolate to antio1idant capacity, 3hich is measured using the o1ygen radical absorbance

capacity 4+*%C5 assay/ 0he processing of the cacao beans in the manufacture of chocolate

can affect the amount of flavonoids retained and therefore antio1idant capacity/ Flavonoid

levels in chocolate are preserved appro1imately 7)(&89 3hen heat and al:aliation are

reduced during processing/ 0raditional processing conserves only 8)(789 of the total cocoa

flavonoids/

Polyphenols vs LDL

+1idative stress or the imbalance bet3een increased generation and decreased elimination of

free radicals is 3ell described as a casual process in the o1idation of lo3(density lipoprotein

chlosterol 4LDL(C5 and the subse.uent development of atherosclerosis/ +1idied LDL may

play a significant role in the initial endothelial damage that leads atherogenesis/ Some study

sho3n the antio1idant effects of polyphenol constituents of cacao li.uor, the :ey ingredient of

chocolate/ Consumption of cocoa po3der 4#7/8 g5 rich in flavonoids 4catechin, epicathin, and

oligomeric procyanidins5 in si1 health adults decreases LDL susceptibility to metal ion(

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dependent and metal ion(independent o1idation and spared ;(tocopherol in vitro/

Consumption of one dose procyanidin(rich chocolate 427, 8# and / purified cocoa flavonoid

fractions also consistently reduced the proinflammatory cyto:ine, 6L, e1pression in

phytohemagglutinin(stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells/ %nother e1perimental

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