Background
Experimental studies have shown that anthocyanins may exert pleiotropic effects. The aim of the study was to determine the influence of Aronia melanocarpa extract on blood pressure and serum concentration of endothelin-1 (ET-1), lipids, glucose, uric acid, C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, the antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), superoxide dysmutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid-reacting substrates, TBARS) in erythrocytes of patients with metabolic syndrome (MS).
Material and Method
The study comprised 22 healthy volunteers and 25 patients with MS. Patients with MS were treated with aronia extract (3 x 100 mg/day) for two months. The above parameters were measured.
Results
After two months of therapy, statistically significant decreases were observed in SBP (143.40+/-7.87 vs. 131.83+/-12.24 mmHg, p<0.001), DBP (87.20+/-9.9 vs. 82.13+/-10.33 mmHg, p<0.05), ET-1 (2.44+/-0.51 vs. 1.74+/-0.42 pg/ml, p<0.001), TC (242.80+/-34.48 vs. 227.96+/-33.07 mg/dl, p<0.001), LDL-C (158.71+/-35.78 vs. 146.21+/-34.63 mg/dl, p<0.01), TG (215.92+/-63.61 vs. 187.58+/-90 mg/dl, p<0.05), TBARS (0.0712+/-0.0191 vs. 0.0362+/-0.0135 micromol/g-Hb, p<0.001), and CAT (261.30+/-59.78 vs. 213.34+/-47.36 U/mg-Hb) and significant increases in SOD (2380.63+/-419.91 vs. 3066.53+/-542.24 U/g-Hb, p<0.001), GSH-Px (12.60+/-5.97 vs. 19.18+/-9.09 U/g-Hb, p<0.01), and fibrinogen levels (249.20+/-27.17 vs. 276.67+/-57.41 mg/dl, p<0.05) compared with the baseline values.
Conclusions
Aronia extract may be of benefit to patients with MS. This seems to result from the influence of anthocyanins and possibly other flavonoids on blood pressure, serum level of ET-1, lipids, and oxidative status (GSH-Px, SOD, TBARS).

Keywords: Plant Extracts - therapeutic use, Photinia - chemistry, Oxidative Stress - drug effects, Metabolic Syndrome X - drug therapy, Lipids - blood, Lipid Peroxidation - drug effects, Glutathione Peroxidase - blood, Erythrocytes - metabolism, Endothelins - blood, Catalase - blood, Blood Pressure - drug effects, Superoxide Dismutase - blood, Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances