Anthocyanin Supplementation Alleviates Antithrombotic Risk by Inhibiting Platelet Activity in Humans.

BACKGROUND: Platelet hyperactivity has a crucial role in initiating vascular thrombosis and subsequent cardiovascular disease (CVD). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the effect of anthocyanins (AC) on platelet aggregation and activation and lipid profile. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 26 healthy participants consumed 320 mg of AC/day in the form of Medox® capsules for 28 days. SETTING: This study was conducted in the laboratories of the School of Medical Sciences, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 26 randomly recruited healthy 25- to 75-year-old participants completed this study. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Fasting blood samples were collected pre- and post-the intervention period to perform platelet activation studies by measuring platelet surface marker expression of CD41a and P-selectin, and platelet-monocyte aggregates in adenosine diphosphate (ADP) stimulated platelets. Platelet aggregation studies were performed by stimulating platelets with various agonists such as ADP, collagen and arachidonic acid. Full blood examination, coagulation and biochemistry profile analyses were also performed pre- and post-intervention. Flow cytometric analysis showed a significant effect of AC on the expression of P-selectin as measured by the platelet surface expression of CD62p. RESULTS: There was a significant reduction of ADP-stimulated platelet aggregation. Hematologic analysis showed a significant reduction of mean platelet volume, mean cell hemoglobin, and mean cell hemoglobin concentration. Coagulation analysis demonstrated significant attenuation of fibrinogen level in the blood. CONCLUSION: This study showed inhibition of platelet activity, platelet aggregation and mean platelet volume (MPV). These results suggest that AC has a positive impact on attenuating platelet activity, which might minimize thrombotic risk.

Potential of anthocyanin as an anti-inflammatory agent: a human clinical trial on type 2 diabetic, diabetic at-risk and healthy adults.

OBJECTIVE: The present research aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory potential of dietary anthocyanin (ACN) in type 2 diabetic (T2D), T2D-at-risk and healthy individuals. Furthermore, dietary inflammatory index (DII) was used to study the association of diet with biomarkers of inflammation. RESEARCH METHODS: An open-label clinical trial was conducted at Griffith University investigating the efficacy of 320 mg ACN supplementation per day over the course of 4 weeks. Diabetes-associated inflammatory biomarkers and relevant biochemical and physical parameters were tested pre-and post-intervention, and participants' dietary inflammatory potential was estimated. RESULTS: A significant reduction in the pro-inflammatory biomarkers' interleukin-6, interleukin-18, and tumour necrosis factor-α was observed in the T2D group. In addition, some, but not all, biochemical parameters including fasting blood glucose, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and uric acid were significantly improved in T2D-at-risk group. Moreover, a significant difference was detected between the DII scores of the healthy and T2D groups. DII score for the T2D group was consistent with an anti-inflammatory diet. CONCLUSION: Anti-inflammatory potential of dietary ACN in T2D participants was evidenced in the present study. Although, anti-inflammatory dietary patterns of T2D participants may have accelerated the anti-inflammatory effect of the ACN capsules supplemented in this trial.