Active compounds in EAhy 926 endothelial cells, investigating cashew extract and molecules as natural health product approach to reducing the formation of advanced glycation endproducts v

Diabetes is the most common non-communicable diseases worldwide.4 It has become one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in developed countries, and the management of hyperglycaemia remains a major therapeutic concern. In the fourth edition of International Diabetes Federation Atlas,4 it has been stated that the estimated diabetes prevalence for 2010 has risen to 280million, representing 6.6% of the world’s population. Although diagnosed on the basis of hyperglycaemia, diabetes mellitus is associated with broad metabolic abnormalities that contribute to microvascular and macrovascular complications.5 Studies based on cultured endothelial cells have clearly shown that endothelial cell growth is inhibited by hyperglycemia.6 The mechanism of glucose inhibiting endothelial cell growth has not been clearly defined but may be related to generation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). Previous studies have shown that diabetes mellitus increases oxidative stress through a number of mechanism. First, hyperglycaemia induces lipid peroxidation; second, glucose can undergo auto-oxidation via numerous intermediates that can react with proteins to generate Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs) leading to gradual deterioration in the structure and function of tissue proteins and contributing to diabetes complications.7 AGEs can induce ROS production during oxidative stress and inflammatory state such that key enzymes that catabolise ROS (SOD, catalase and gluthatione) and antioxidants such as Vitamine E, Vit C and carotenoids are reduced in patients with diabetes.8 Patients treated with antihyperglycemic agents often fail to reach glycemic normalization or, once achieved, do not maintain these goals long term.9 Great effort has been devoted to searching for antioxidants without toxicity and side effects, e.g. traditional crude drugs, medicinal prescriptions and functional foods. To that, various types of agents have been developed,