Friday, October 9, 2009

L-Arginine Exerts Anti-Inflammatory Effects

Keywords:CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE, INSULIN RESISTANCE, ENDOTHELIAL DYSFUNCTION, INFLAMMATION - L-Arginine

Reference:"Oral l-arginine supplementation improves endothelial function and ameliorates insulin sensitivity and inflammation in cardiopathic nondiabetic patients after an aortocoronary bypass," Lucotti P, Monti L, et al, Metabolism, 2009 July 8; [Epub ahead of print]. (Address: Internal Medicine Department, Cardio-Diabetes Trials Unit, Scientific Institute San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy. E-mail: piatti.piermarco.hsr.it ).

Summary:In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 64 patients with cardiovascular disease who previously underwent autocoronary bypass, supplementation with l-arginine (6.4 g/d) for a period of 6 months (in 32 of the 64 patients found to have a non-diabetic response to an oral glucose load), was found to decrease asymmetric dimethylarginine levels, decrease indices of endothelial dysfunction, and increase cyclic guanosine monophosphate, l-arginine to asymmetric dimethylarginine ratio, and reactive hyperemia. In addition, increases in adiponectin and the insulin sensitive index and decreases in interleukin-6 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 were also associated with l-arginine treatment. The authors conclude, "…insulin resistance, endothelial dysfunction, and inflammation are important cardiovascular risk factors in coronary artery disease patients; and l-arginine seems to have anti-inflammatory and metabolic advantages in these patients."


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