Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Therapeutics

 

Advanced Search

Journal Navigation

Journal Home

Subscriptions

Archive

Contact Us

Table of Contents

Register here to gain access to SAGE's 500+ Journals Online

Click here to sign up for SAGE Journal Email Alerts today!

Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Siekmeier, R.
Right arrow Articles by März, W.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Siekmeier, R.
Right arrow Articles by März, W.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati  
What's this?
Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Vol. 12, No. 4, 265-282 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/1074248407299519

Role of Oxidants and Antioxidants in Atherosclerosis: Results of In Vitro and In Vivo Investigations

Rüdiger Siekmeier, MD

Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM), Bonn, Germany, r.siekmeier{at}bfarm.de

Christian Steffen, MD

Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM), Bonn, Germany

Winfried März, MD

Synlab - Versorgungszentrum für Labordiagnostik, Heidelberg, Germany

Both in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that oxidants are central in the development of atherosclerosis. Consequently, additional studies evaluated the protective effects of various natural and synthetic antioxidants, alone and in combination, with most studies focusing on {alpha}-tocopherol (vitamin E). Here, we summarize the role of oxidants in the pathomechanism of atherosclerosis. We also discuss epidemiological studies and others focused on the protective effect of vitamin E against atherosclerosis. Other antioxidants are also considered if they were included in studies involving vitamin E. The protective effect of antioxidants on atherosclerotic pathomechanisms has been confirmed in vitro, but only in some animal studies. Various epidemiological and observational studies have produced conflicting results on the protective effect of antioxidants. Most studies of primary or secondary prevention failed to show a protective effect. These conflicting results are biased by a number of factors, including differences between the study groups. Therefore, we describe these studies in detail.

Key Words: atherosclerosis • cardiovascular disease • oxidative stress • antioxidants • vitamin E • vitamin C • β-carotene


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?