多酚於心血管疾病的保護作用

The protective effects of polyphenols in cardiovascular disease

目的：論述多酚對健康的益處，特別是對心血管系統方面的益助，期望能成為臨床護理人員照護及教育心血管疾病患者飲食的參考資訊。方法：收集並分析近年來眾多有關多酚對心血管疾病各方面的保護作用的研究，並討論它們所涉及的標的及所行使的機轉。結果：多酚除了可改善血脂濃度並降低低密度脂蛋白的氧化，對血管內皮細胞亦具有調節作用，可達成血管擴張的效果。此外，對血管內皮細胞還可呈現抗發炎作用及調節細胞凋亡的功能，這些方面的作用機轉及訊息路徑已相繼被証實。結論：多酚具有調節血管擴張作用、抗發炎作用、抗粥狀動脈硬化作用、抗血栓作用並可調節細胞凋亡，對血管內皮細胞具有多重的保護作用，且這些保護作用之間又具有相互協同的潛在效應，使得多酚已成為預防及治療心血管疾病的選項之ㄧ。

Numerous studies have demonstrated the health benefits of polyphenols, and special attention has been paid to their beneficial effects in cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the world today. Polyphenols have vasodilator effects, are able to improve lipid profiles, and attenuate the oxidation of low density lipoproteins. In addition, antiinflammatory effects can modulate apoptotic processes in the vascular endothelium. Many mechanisms have been proposed to explain the health effects of these compounds and different signaling pathway have been linked to polyphenols. We review some of the studies that have demonstrated the protective effects of polyphenols in cardiovascular disease, and we comment on their targets and the possible mechanisms of action.