Cardiovascular disease (CVD), such as hypertension and atherosclerosis, is the leading cause of global death. Endothelial dysfunction (ED) is a strong predictor for most CVD making it a therapeutic target for both drug and nutrition interventions. It has been previously shown that polyphenols from wine and grape extracts possess vasodilator activities, due to the increased expression and phosphorylation of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and consequent vasodilator nitric oxide (NO) production. This is vital in the prevention of ED, as NO production contributes to the maintenance of endothelial homeostasis. Moreover, polyphenols have the ability to inhibit reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can cause oxidative stress, as well as suppress the upregulation of inflammatory markers within the endothelium. However, while the majority of the research has focused on red wine, this has overshadowed the potential of other nutritional components for targeting ED, such as the use of berries. Berries are high in anthocyanin flavonoids a subtype of polyphenols with studies suggesting improved vascular function as a result of inducing NO production and reducing oxidative stress and inflammation. This review focuses on the protective effects of berries within the vasculature.

中文翻译：

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浆果花青素对血管功能的潜在益处

心血管疾病（CVD），如高血压和动脉粥样硬化，是全球死亡的主要原因。内皮功能障碍 (ED) 是大多数 CVD 的强预测因子，使其成为药物和营养干预的治疗目标。先前已经表明，由于内皮一氧化氮合酶 (eNOS) 的表达和磷酸化增加，以及随之而来的血管扩张剂一氧化氮 (NO) 的产生，葡萄酒和葡萄提取物中的多酚具有血管扩张剂活性。这对于预防 ED 至关重要，因为 NO 的产生有助于维持内皮稳态。此外，多酚具有抑制可引起氧化应激的活性氧 (ROS) 的能力，以及抑制内皮内炎症标志物的上调。然而，虽然大部分研究都集中在红酒上，但这掩盖了其他营养成分针对 ED 的潜力，例如使用浆果。浆果富含花青素类黄酮，一种多酚的亚型，研究表明，由于诱导 NO 产生和减少氧化应激和炎症，血管功能得到改善。这篇综述的重点是浆果在脉管系统内的保护作用。