Researchers show new antioxidant may contribute to cardiovascular disease treated

Researchers from Glasgow University believe they have found a new potential treatment for cardiovascular disease decreases, the blood to Britain pressure.Scientists Cardiology Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Center (GCRC BHF), which has recently developed a MitoQ10 antioxidant known to prevent damage to the mitochondria of cells in an experimental model of hypertension and stroke.

The researchers found that MitoQ10 improve the function of endothelial cells, blood vessels of the line and play an important role in controlling blood pressure and reduce the thickening of the heart muscle (cardiac hypertrophy), the results of high blood pressure (hypertension).

Lead researchers Professor Anna Dominiczak, BHF head of the BHF Chair of CRAG and cardiovascular medicine, said: "We have shown that this particular type of antioxidants can significantly reduce damage caused by oxidant molecules.

"Given the obvious role that the damage to mitochondrial cardio-vascular diseases, this research opens new possibilities of therapy, reduction of hypertension in patients with this condition."

Mitochondria are sub-units in a cell, the energy for the cell, helping the cell metabolism and play a role in cell signaling, which, if damaged, can be a wide range of diseases, including cardiovascular vascular diseases.

Mitochondria are vulnerable to damage caused by reactive oxygen species, molecules highly reactive oxygen atoms that have lost an electron, as the natural corollary of respiration.

Antioxidants, by researchers - MitoQ10 - is able, within the layers of a better treatment than other antioxidants and may be done orally, and was already in phase two studies of patients with l 'Hepatitis C and has been shown to protect against the liver. It was also tested by patients with Parkinson's disease.

However, the study found that Glasgow MitoQ10 not completely prevent the development of high blood pressure, suggesting that mitochondrial oxidative damage is one of a series of factors that contribute to hypertension.

The research was by the BHF, cardio-vascular, Wellcome Trust Functional Genomics Initiative and the European Union Sixth Framework Integrated Project and published in the journal Hypertension in the week.

The project was conducted in collaboration with Dr. Mike Murphy of the Medical Research Council Mitochondrial Biology Unit, Cambridge and Professor Rob Smith, University of Otago, New Zealand, MitoQ connection.