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Daily prickly pear consumption improves platelet function.

R Wolfram1, A Budinsky, Y Efthimiou

  • 1Department of Angiology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.

Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes, and Essential Fatty Acids
|July 25, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Daily prickly pear consumption benefits cardiovascular health by reducing platelet activity and improving hemostatic balance. This dietary approach positively impacts platelet function in both healthy individuals and those with hypercholesterolemia.

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Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Science
  • Nutrition Science
  • Hemostasis and Thrombosis

Background:

  • Prickly pear (Opuntia spp.) is traditionally recognized for its health benefits, particularly by Pima Indians for managing diabetes mellitus.
  • Hypercholesterolemia is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, often associated with altered platelet function.
  • Platelet activity plays a crucial role in hemostatic balance and cardiovascular health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of daily prickly pear consumption on platelet function parameters.
  • To assess the impact of prickly pear on lipid profiles and hemostatic markers in healthy volunteers and hypercholesterolemia patients.

Main Methods:

  • A daily intake of 250g of prickly pear was administered to 8 healthy volunteers and 8 patients with mild familial heterozygous hypercholesterolemia.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Various platelet function parameters were measured, including platelet protein levels, adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-induced and collagen-induced platelet aggregation, and platelet sensitivity to prostacyclin (PGI2) and prostaglandin E1 (PGE1).
  • Plasma 11-dehydrothromboxane B2 (11-DH-TXB2) levels and the WU-test were assessed, alongside the number of circulating endothelial cells.

    • Main Results:

    • Prickly pear consumption significantly reduced platelet factor 4 and beta-thromboglobulin levels, decreased ADP-induced platelet aggregation, and improved platelet sensitivity to PGI2 and PGE1 in both groups.
    • Significant improvements were observed in plasma 11-DH-TXB2 levels and WU-test results for both volunteers and patients.
    • Collagen-induced platelet aggregation and circulating endothelial cell counts showed significant improvement only in hypercholesterolemia patients.
    • No significant effect on peripheral platelet count or influence from the dietary run-in period was noted.

    Conclusions:

    • Daily prickly pear intake demonstrates beneficial effects on cardiovascular health by modulating platelet activity and improving hemostatic balance.
    • The study suggests that prickly pear's cardiovascular benefits may be partly mediated through its positive influence on platelet function.
    • Prickly pear shows potential as a dietary intervention for managing hypercholesterolemia and reducing cardiovascular risk.