The possible cardioprotective effects of Aristotelia Chilensis (maqui berry)

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction, thrombosis, and cerebrovascular diseases are commonly found nowadays. It accounts for approximately one-third of death in the world. Platelet has a critical role in cardiovascular events. It was found that some antioxidants in fruits and vegetables might inhibit platelet aggregation and minimize the risks of cardiovascular disease. Aristotelia chilensis is one of the fruits that has high antioxidant content such as polyphenols, anthocyanin, and flavonoids. This paper aims to describe the possible cardioprotective effects of Aristotelia chilensis (Maqui Berry). Method: This is a narrative literature review. Articles were selected from PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar. Result: Some studies revealed that Aristotelia chilensis benefits cardiovascular such as reducing glucose index, diabetes, and obesity. Therefore, it might have antiplatelet activity. The bioactive compounds in the maqui berry are phenolic acid, flavonoid, and anthocyanin. These compounds show multiple targets in the platelet in the form of the inhibition of thrombin, thromboxane, adenosine diphosphate (ADP), and GPVI receptor. Another possible mechanism is by stimulating platelet aggregation. However, more studies are needed to explore the action of maqui berry extracts.