Cardioprotection conferred by rooibos (Aspalathus linearis): A mini review to highlight a potential mechanism of action

A number of cardioprotective interventions have been identified throughout the years, and these include the use of natural antioxidants in sources like rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) tea. Recent studies have demonstrated that rooibos (either its isolated components or the crude rooibos extract/tea) confers cardioprotection in diabetic cardiomyopathy and myocardial ischaemic injury. In addition, a clinical study has shown that regular rooibos consumption reduces the risk for cardiovascular disease in adults. However, rooibos is currently not considered an official treatment against cardiac disease, mainly because the underlying mechanisms for rooibos-induced cardioprotection are not fully elucidated. Physiological actions of rooibos must be well investigated before rooibos can be used in a clinical setting as adjunct treatment for patients with heart disease. Thus, research to delineate the underlying mechanisms of rooibos-induced cardioprotection is key. In the light of the aforementioned, the available literature on rooibos-induced cardioprotection is reviewed here, highlighting the fact that rooibos preserves and maintains cardiac energy homeostasis. It is postulated that rooibos activates an AMPK-GLUT-4 glucose oxidation (cardiac energy-shortage sensing) pathway to shift cardiac energy usage, thereby conferring cardioprotection. Significance: It is hypothesised that rooibos may alter the way in which the human heart uses energy and oxygen, in order to protect the heart against disease. The heart’s mitochondria are responsible for the heart’s energy processes, and therefore are most likely involved in rooibos-induced cardioprotection. Cardioprotection conferred by rooibos is likely via an AMPK-GLUT-4 glucose oxidation pathway. The mechanism of cardioprotection is important for future studies investigating how rooibos alters cardiac mitochondria. The more information gathered about the underlying mechanisms of rooibos, the easier it will be to recommend rooibos as an official cardioprotective intervention in patients with heart disease

Cardioprotection conferred by rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) : a mini review to highlight a potential mechanism of action

CITATION: Maarman, G. J. 2019. Cardioprotection conferred by rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) : a mini review to highlight a potential mechanism of action. South African Journal of Science, 115(7/8), Art. #4653, doi:10.17159/sajs.2019/4653.The original publication is available at http://sajs.co.zaENGLISH ABSTRACT: A number of cardioprotective interventions have been identified throughout the years, and these include the use of natural antioxidants in sources like rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) tea. Recent studies have demonstrated that rooibos (either its isolated components or the crude rooibos extract/tea) confers cardioprotection in diabetic cardiomyopathy and myocardial ischaemic injury. In addition, a clinical study has shown that regular rooibos consumption reduces the risk for cardiovascular disease in adults. However, rooibos is currently not considered an official treatment against cardiac disease, mainly because the underlying mechanisms for rooibos-induced cardioprotection are not fully elucidated. Physiological actions of rooibos must be well investigated before rooibos can be used in a clinical setting as adjunct treatment for patients with heart disease. Thus, research to delineate the underlying mechanisms of rooibos-induced cardioprotection is key. In the light of the aforementioned, the available literature on rooibos-induced cardioprotection is reviewed here, highlighting the fact that rooibos preserves and maintains cardiac energy homeostasis. It is postulated that rooibos activates an AMPK-GLUT-4 glucose oxidation (cardiac energy-shortage sensing) pathway to shift cardiac energy usage, thereby conferring cardioprotection.https://www.sajs.co.za/article/view/4653Publishers versio

A philosophical perspective on pulmonary hypertension : what is 'rare'?

CITATION: Maarman, G. J. 2020. A philosophical perspective on pulmonary hypertension : what is 'rare'? South African Journal of Science, 116(5/6):#7939, doi:10.17159/sajs.2020/7939.The original publication is available at https://www.sajs.co.zaENGLISH ABSTRACT: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a fatal disease and public health concern.1 The global prevalence of PH is not known1 and a major focus is to establish registries in order to determine the actual prevalence of PH per country2. PH prevalence is largely subject to aetiology, geographical region and the tools used to make a diagnosis (e.g. echocardiography or right heart catheterisation).1 In Africa, the prevalence of PH that is secondary to HIV differs from its prevalence that is secondary to rheumatic heart disease or schistosomiasis. For example, PH prevalence in HIV is approximately 14%3, while the prevalence can be 1% or 10% in schistosomiasis4. In comparison with a world population of some eight billion people, the relatively ‘low’ number of people who have been diagnosed with or who have succumbed to PH has triggered the assumption that it is a rare disease, which is how it is also reported throughout the literature.Publisher's versio

A philosophical perspective on pulmonary hypertension: What is ‘rare’?

CITATION: Maarman, G. J. 2020. A philosophical perspective on pulmonary hypertension : what is 'rare'? South African Journal of Science, 116(5/6):#7939, doi:10.17159/sajs.2020/7939.The original publication is available at https://www.sajs.co.zaENGLISH ABSTRACT: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a fatal disease and public health concern.1 The global prevalence of PH is not known1 and a major focus is to establish registries in order to determine the actual prevalence of PH per country2. PH prevalence is largely subject to aetiology, geographical region and the tools used to make a diagnosis (e.g. echocardiography or right heart catheterisation).1 In Africa, the prevalence of PH that is secondary to HIV differs from its prevalence that is secondary to rheumatic heart disease or schistosomiasis. For example, PH prevalence in HIV is approximately 14%3, while the prevalence can be 1% or 10% in schistosomiasis4. In comparison with a world population of some eight billion people, the relatively ‘low’ number of people who have been diagnosed with or who have succumbed to PH has triggered the assumption that it is a rare disease, which is how it is also reported throughout the literature.Publisher's versio

Melatonin in Heart Failure: A Promising Therapeutic Strategy?

Heart failure is a multifactorial clinical syndrome characterized by the inability of the heart to pump sufficient blood to the body. Despite recent advances in medical management, poor outcomes in patients with heart failure remain very high. This highlights a need for novel paradigms for effective, preventive and curative strategies. Substantial evidence supports the importance of endogenous melatonin in cardiovascular health and the benefits of melatonin supplementation in various cardiac pathologies and cardiometabolic disorders. Melatonin plays a crucial role in major pathological processes associated with heart failure including ischemic injury, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and cardiac remodeling. In this review, available evidence for the role of melatonin in heart failure is discussed. Current challenges and possible limitations of using melatonin in heart failure are also addressed. While few clinical studies have investigated the role of melatonin in the context of heart failure, current findings from experimental studies support the potential use of melatonin as preventive and adjunctive curative therapy in heart failure

Novel putative pharmacological therapies to protect the right ventricle in pulmonary hypertension: a review of current literature

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is defined by elevated mean pulmonary artery pressure following the pathological remodelling of small pulmonary arteries. An increase in right ventricular (RV) afterload results in RV hypertrophy and RV failure. The pathophysiology of PH, and RV remodelling in particular, is not well understood, thus explaining, at least in part, why current PH therapies have a limited effect. Existing therapies mostly target the pulmonary circulation. Because the remodelled RV fails to support normal cardiac function, patients eventually succumb from RV failure. Developing novel therapies that directly target the function of the RV may therefore benefit patients with PH. In the past decade, several promising studies have investigated novel cardioprotective strategies in experimental models of PH. This review aims to comprehensively discuss and highlight these novel experimental approaches to confer, in the long‐term, greater health benefit in patients with PH