Znaczenie związków polifenolowych z owoców i warzyw w dietoterapii miażdżycy

*Edyta Gheribi

Summary
Vegetables and fruits supply many important components, which are necessary for the human organism to perform its basic functions. One of those components are vitamins and mineral components and polyphenols. Polyphenols are classified as phytochemical substances, as they are found mainly in plants. Rich sources of polyphenols include vegetables and fruits. Recently an essentials role in the prevention of many diseases has been attributed to polyphenols. The effect of the advantageous action of polyphenols consists in the removal from blood of already formed reactive oxygen species and prevention of their formation. This is possible thanks to the inhibition of enzymes connected with generation of free radicals: lipooxygenase, cyclooxygenase and xanthin oxidase by polyphenols. By reducing the quantity of free oxygen radicals, polyphenols protect against oxidation different fractions of cholesterol, particularly LDL, they activate the synthesis of prostacyclins and exhibit anti-aggregation action. Also the chelating action of many polyphenols prevents oxidation of plasma lipoproteins. The antioxidant action of polyphenols in the organism consists also in the inhibition of oxidation of endogenous antioxidants (vitamin E, ascorbic acid, gluthathione and other compounds) in oxidation processes. Flavonoids, such as quercetin, rutin play the role of antioxidants in relation to vitamin C.

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