Antioxidants and cardiovascular disease
A Review

In spite of the significant decline in cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality over the past several decades, CVD remains the leading cause of death in the United States. Although age-specific CVD rates are higher in men than women, CVD is nonetheless the leading cause of death for both sexes, and is responsible for approximately one-third of all fatalities in women as well as men. Antioxidant vitamins are a promising area of current research in the prevention of CVD. The postulated mechanism for such an effect derives from basic research demonstrating the ability of antioxidants to inhibit the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Epidemiologic studies that have explored the antioxidant vitamin hypothesis include descriptive and cross-sectional studies, analytic investigations using case-control and prospective cohort study designs, as well as several small randomized clinical trials. Findings from these studies are cot totally consistent, but generally support the hypothesis that antioxidant vitamins reduce the risk of CVD. Overall, there are fewer data in women than men. Large-scale randomized trials are now ongoing That will provide reliable evidence on this question. The ongoing Physicians Health Study of over 22,000 men is testing beta-carotene, while the recently begun Women’s Health Study of 40,000 women will test, utilizing a factorial design, beta-carotene as well as vitamin E. A trial has also recently been funded to test beta-carotene, vitamin E and vitamin C in secondary prevention among a high-risk population of 8000 women with prior CVD events.

Manson JE, Gaziano JM et al. Antioxidants and cardiovascular disease: a review. Jour Amer Coll Nutrition 1993 Aug; 12(4) : 426-32.

Highlights of the cancer chemoprevention studies in China

New retinoids have been synthesized and screened in the search for chemopreventive agents of cancer. N-4-(Carboxyphenyl) retinamide showed a significant inhibitory effect on carcinogenesis of cancers in the buccal pouch of hamsters and in the forestomach of mice. Clinical studies have demonstrated that N-4-(Carboxyphenyl) retinamide is effective against oral leukoplakia, and dysplasia of the uterine cervix and stomach. Field studies among a population at high risk for esophageal cancer in Linxian County, Henan Province, revealed that N-4-(ethoxycarbophenyl) retinamide decreased that incidence of this cancer. Qidong County is a high-risk area for hepatoma in China. This has been correlated to the low levels of selenium in the blood of the residents as well as in grain grown in the area. S.Y. Yu, W.G.Li, Y.J. Zhu, et. Al. (BiolTrace Element Res. 1985; 7:22-26) reported that the administration of selenium inhibited the incidence of hepatoma induced by aflatoxin B in rats and ducks. Experimental studies demonstrated that green tea extract inhibited 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-3-acetate. Garlic has been used for thousands of years in Chinese cooking and folk medicine. Epidemiological studies show that the dietary intake of garlic is inversely related to gastric cancer incidence in Shandong Province.

Han J. Highlights of the cancer chemopreventive studies in China. Prev Med 1993 Sep;22(5): 712-22.

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