Cardiovascular Clinical research

Anthocyanins and cardiovascular diseases

It has been scientifically proven that anthocyanins reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer and also
have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects. Multiple risk markers for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular
disease act in a synergistic way through inflammatory pathways. The influence of chronic inflammation in endothelial
cells, smooth muscle cells, and immune cells play a crucial role in cardiovascular pathology.

Biolink Group has together with university hospitals performed different clinic studies to document the effects of
the most biologic active anthocyanins in the cardiovascular system.
 
A large, double blind, randomized placebo controlled human study at the University Hospital of Ullevål, Oslo,
found anthocyanins(Medox®) significant to lower sedimentation rate and resting pulse.
 
These findings led to 3 new pilot mice studies at the University Hospital of Ullevål, Oslo, investigating the two
anthocyanins, Cyanidin and Delphinidin`s influense on the resting pulse and hypertension. Results on all pilot
studies has been promising enough to result in new, larger clinical studies.

A new clinic placebo controlled mice study is being performed at The University Hospital of Ullevål  evaluating
the effects of the synthetic anthocyanins (BSCyanidin 3G and BSDelphinidin 3G) on resting pulse and on hypertension

Worlds first clinic human study on Anthocyanins and Chronic Inflammation.

A large, double blind, randomized placebo controlled human study at the University of Oslo together with the
University hospital of Ullevål, Oslo, significant found anthocyanins(Medox®) to lower chronic inflammation (NF-kB…) :

 
Anthocyanins Inhibit Nuclear Factor-kB Activation in Monocytes and Reduce Plasma Concentrations of Pro-Inflammatory
Mediators in Healthy Adults
Anette Karlsen,4 Lars Retterstøl,6 Petter Laake,5 Ingvild Paur,4 Siv Kjølsrud-Bøhn,4 Leiv Sandvik,7
and Rune Blomhoff4*

4Department of Nutrition, and 5Department of Biostatistics, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of
Oslo, Oslo,Norway N-0316 and 6Department of Medical Genetics and 7Research Centre, Ullevaal University Hospital, Oslo,
Norway N-0407

Abstract

The transcription factor nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB) is activated by oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory stimuli
and controls the expression of numerous genes involved in the inflammatory response. Dampening NF-kB activation
and thereby limiting the inflammatory response have been suggested as a potential strategy to prevent chronic
inflammatory diseases. In cultured monocytes, anthocyanins isolated from bilberries and black currants (Medox)
efficiently suppressed LPS-induced activation of NF-kB. Furthermore, we studied the effect of anthocyanin
supplementation (Medox, 300 mg/d for 3 wk) in a parallel-designed, placebo-controlled clinical trial (n ¼ 120
men and women aged 40–74 y). Differences were observed in several NF-kB related inflammatory mediators in the
Medox group compared to placebo. The changes in the NF-kBcontrolled pro-inflammatory chemokines IL-8, ‘‘regulated
upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted,’’ (RANTES) and IFNa (an inducer of NF-kB activation) in
the Medox group (45, 15, and 40% decreases from baseline, respectively) differed from those in the placebo
group (20, 0, and 15% decreases from baseline, respectively) (P , 0.050). Similarly, changes in IL-4 and IL-13,
2 cytokines that mediate pro-inflammatory responses and induce NF-kB activation, in the Medox group (60 and 38%
decreases from baseline, respectively) tended to differ from those in the placebo group (4 and 6% decreases)
(P ¼ 0.056 and, P ¼ 0.089, respectively).These data suggest that anthocyanin supplementation may have a role
in the prevention or treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases by inhibition of NF-kB transactivation and
deceased plasma concentrations of pro-inflammatory chemokines, cytokines, and inflammatory mediators. J. Nutr.
137: 1951–1954, 2007.

Anthocyanins prevent CD40-Activated Proinflammatory Signaling in Endothelial Cells by Regulating cholesterol
Distribution

This study was based on Biolink type anthocyanins. The conclusions on the study was; “ Our findings suggest that  
anthocyanin protects from CD-40-induced proinflammatory signaling by preventing TRAF-2 translocation to lipid rafts
through regulation of cholesterol distribution, which thereby may represent a mechanism that would explain the
anti-inflammatory response of anthocyanin. Wenhua Ling et al,  “Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology”
April, 2007, USA.