Microbial metabolites of flavanols stimulate nitric oxide production and protect against oxidative stress-induced endothelial dysfunction in human endothelial cells

Abstract

Oxidative stress has been implicated in endothelial dysfunction, the key player in the development of vascular diabetic complications. Accordingly, considerable efforts have been made in the last recent years for the identification of natural antioxidant compounds that may provide valuable strategies to reduce their detrimental effects. In this line, flavanols, the major antioxidants in cocoa, have been related to vascular protection and lower cardiovascular risk. However, the bioavailability of cocoa flavanols is very low; therefore, their bioactivity in vivo seems to be greatly mediated by the derived phenolic metabolites formed by intestinal microbiota.