Regulatory action of phenylbenzo-gamma-pyrone (PBP) derivatives on blood constituents affecting rheology in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD).

In patients with CHD the hematological and serum chemical profiles showed significantly elevated (P less than 0.05) serum cholesterols, highly significantly increased hematocrits (P less than 0.025 to P less than 0.001) and the erythrocyte sedimentation rates (ESR) (red cell aggregation) along with several blood constituents causal of erythrocyte aggregation were significantly elevated (P less than 0.05 to P less than 0.025). Thus, major defects were elevated serum cholesterol, increased blood viscosity and reduced tissue perfusion which present evidence implicates as interactive factors in the pathogenesis of CHD. Methoxylated PBP derivatives exhibited a highly significant antiadhesive action (P less than 0.001) on erythrocytes and certain PBP hydroxylated glycosides showed a significant accelerating (P less than 0.05) action on erythrocyte aggregation which causes sequestration and reduced erythrocyte concentration. Thus, the PBP derivatives exert an apparent regulatory action on erythrocyte aggregation and concentration, two major factors affecting blood viscosity and flow. The PBP compounds occur in plants and are found in certain foods which suggests dietary control of the blood high viscosity syndrome.