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Antioxidants and atherosclerosis

F. Violi*,1, F. Micheletta2 and L. Iuliano2

1 Dipartimento di Medicina sperimentale e Patologia, Università La Sapienza, Rome, Italy
2 Dipartimento di Medicina Interna, Università La Sapienza, Rome, Italy

* Correspondence: Professor Francesco Violi, Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Patologia, via del Policlinico, 00185 Rome, Italy.

Abstract

A large body of evidence supports the hypothesis that oxidation of low-density lipoprotein plays a key role in atherogenesis. Experimental atherosclerosis in animals can be prevented by natural and synthetic antioxidants. Clinical trials with anti-oxidants, which mainly used vitamin E, showed contrasting findings. Thus, among five secondary prevention trials with vitamin E, three were negative and two were positive. Several factors have been suggested to explain these conflicting results, including compliance, trial design, the dosage used and the source of vitamin E. Thus, the results of clinical trials leave open the issue of antioxidant treatment in human atherosclerosis.

Key Words: Antioxidants • atherosclerosis • oxidative stress

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