天然可可作为饮食介导的抗疟预防措施。
Natural cocoa as diet-mediated antimalarial prophylaxis.
机构信息
Department of Anatomy, University of Ghana Medical School (U.G.M.S.), College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
出版信息
Med Hypotheses. 2010 May;74(5):825-30. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2009.12.003. Epub 2009 Dec 30.
BACKGROUND
The Maya of Central America are credited with the first consumption of cocoa and maintaining its ancient Olmec name kakawa translated in English as "God Food", in recognition of its multiple health benefits. The legend of cocoa is receiving renewed attention in recent years, on account of epidemiological and scientific studies that support its cardiovascular health benefits. Increasing numbers of scientific reports corroborating cocoa's antiquated reputation as health food persuaded this author to promote regular consumption of cocoa in Ghana since 2004. Cocoa is readily available in Ghana; the country is the second largest producer accounting for 14% of the world's output. Numerous anecdotal reports of reduced episodic malaria in people who daily drink natural unsweetened cocoa beverage prompted a search for scientific mechanisms that possibly account for cocoa's antimalarial effects. This paper presents the outcome as a hypothesis.
METHODS
Internet search for literature on effects of cocoa's ingredients on malaria parasites and illness using a variety of search tools.
RESULTS
Evidential literature suggests five mechanisms that possibly underpin cocoa's anecdotal antimalarial effects. (i) Increased availability of antioxidants in plasma, (ii) membrane effects in general and erythrocyte membrane in particular, (iii) increased plasma levels of nitric oxide, (iv) antimalarial activity of cocoa flavanoids and their derivatives, and (v) boosted immune system mediated by components of cocoa including cocoa butter, polyphenols, magnesium, and zinc.
CONCLUSION
A hypothesis is formulated that cocoa offers a diet-mediated antimalarial prophylaxis; and an additional novel tool in the fight against the legendary scourge.
背景
中美洲的玛雅人最早食用可可，并保留了其古老的奥尔梅克名字 kakawa，在英文中翻译为“上帝的食物”，以表彰可可对健康的多种益处。近年来，可可的传说重新受到关注，这要归功于支持其对心血管健康益处的流行病学和科学研究。越来越多的科学报告证实了可可作为健康食品的古老声誉，促使作者自 2004 年以来在加纳提倡定期食用可可。在加纳，可可很容易买到；该国是世界第二大可可生产国，占世界产量的 14%。有许多轶事报道称，每天饮用天然无糖可可饮料的人患间歇性疟疾的次数减少，这促使人们寻找可能解释可可抗疟作用的科学机制。本文提出了一个假设。
方法
使用各种搜索工具在互联网上搜索可可成分对疟原虫和疾病影响的文献。
结果
有证据的文献表明，可可的抗疟作用可能有以下五种机制：（i）增加血浆中抗氧化剂的含量，（ii）一般的膜效应，特别是红细胞膜，（iii）增加一氧化氮的血浆水平，（iv）可可黄烷醇及其衍生物的抗疟活性，以及（v）可可成分（包括可可脂、多酚、镁和锌）增强免疫系统。
结论
提出了一个假设，即可可提供了一种饮食介导的抗疟预防措施；并为对抗传说中的疟疾这一祸害提供了一种新的工具。
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