早些年,，加州大學(xué)圣地亞哥分校的醫(yī)學(xué)院以及弗吉尼亞州圣迭戈醫(yī)療系統(tǒng)的科學(xué)家們完成的一項小型臨床試驗證實：重癥心衰患者或是II型糖尿病患者在接受富含表兒茶素的可可為期3個月治療后,，體內(nèi)線粒體結(jié)構(gòu)得到了改善。
表兒茶素
近來,，他們開展的一項大型安慰劑臨床對照試驗,，發(fā)現(xiàn)心衰患者或糖尿病患者在使用表兒茶素后，運動能力得到提高,。相關(guān)研究論文發(fā)表在Clinical and Translational Science雜志上,。
線粒體是一種存在于大多數(shù)細(xì)胞中的由兩層膜包被的細(xì)胞器，直徑在0.5到10微米左右,。線粒體是細(xì)胞內(nèi)氧化磷酸化和合成三磷酸腺苷（ATP）的主要場所,，為細(xì)胞的活動提供了能量，所以有“細(xì)胞動力工廠”之稱,。除了為細(xì)胞供能外,，線粒體還參與諸如細(xì)胞分化、細(xì)胞信息傳遞和細(xì)胞凋亡等過程,，并擁有調(diào)控細(xì)胞生長和細(xì)胞周期的能力,。心衰患者或糖尿病患者體內(nèi)線粒體功能出現(xiàn)異常,，II型糖尿病以及心衰患者心臟和骨骼肌會受到雙重?fù)p害。研究者募集了5名骨骼肌中線粒體受損傷較嚴(yán)重的患者參與了研究,。
在實驗開始前,，研究人員對每個人都進(jìn)行了骨骼肌活檢。實驗過程中受試者每天主要通過食用黑巧克力棒或是類似飲料來攝取100mg左右的表兒茶素,，實驗周期共3個月。3個月后,，研究人員再次進(jìn)行活檢后發(fā)現(xiàn)參試者體內(nèi)線粒體容量以及線粒體棘都出現(xiàn)了改變,。
加州大學(xué)圣地亞哥分校的醫(yī)學(xué)院心臟病部的Francisco J. Villarreal博士說：實驗開始階段，參與人員線粒體棘受到嚴(yán)重?fù)p傷,，并且數(shù)量也比正常人少,。但3個月的治療后，線粒體棘數(shù)量恢復(fù)到正常水平,，并且參與線粒體形成的一些分子蛋白也增加了,。研究人員表示：表兒茶素或許能恢復(fù)心肌和骨骼肌的線粒體功能，改善重癥心衰患者和II型糖尿病患者的疾病狀況,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
doi:10.1111/j.1752-8062.2011.00357.x
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Alterations in Skeletal Muscle Indicators of Mitochondrial Structure and Biogenesis in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Heart Failure: Effects of Epicatechin Rich Cocoa
Pam R. Taub M.D.1,2,Israel Ramirez-Sanchez Ph.D.1,3,Theodore P. Ciaraldi Ph.D.1,2,Guy Perkins Ph.D.1,Anne N. Murphy Ph.D.1,Robert Naviaux M.D., Ph.D.1,Michael Hogan Ph.D.1,Alan S. Maisel M.D.1,2,Robert R. Henry M.D.1,2,Guillermo Ceballos M.D., Ph.D.3,Francisco Villarreal M.D., Ph.D.1,*
(-)-Epicatechin (Epi), a flavanol in cacao stimulates mitochondrial volume and cristae density and protein markers of skeletal muscle (SkM) mitochondrial biogenesis in mice. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) and heart failure (HF) are diseases associated with defects in SkM mitochondrial structure/function. A study was implemented to assess perturbations and to determine the effects of Epi-rich cocoa in SkM mitochondrial structure and mediators of biogenesis. Five patients with DM2 and stage II/III HF consumed dark chocolate and a beverage containing approximately 100 mg of Epi per day for 3 months. We assessed changes in protein and/or activity levels of oxidative phosphorylation proteins, porin, mitofilin, nNOS, nitric oxide, cGMP, SIRT1, PGC1α, Tfam, and mitochondria volume and cristae abundance by electron microscopy from SkM. Apparent major losses in normal mitochondria structure were observed before treatment. Epi-rich cocoa increased protein and/or activity of mediators of biogenesis and cristae abundance while not changing mitochondrial volume density. Epi-rich cocoa treatment improves SkM mitochondrial structure and in an orchestrated manner, increases molecular markers of mitochondrial biogenesis resulting in enhanced cristae density. Future controlled studies are warranted using Epi-rich cocoa (or pure Epi) to translate improved mitochondrial structure into enhanced cardiac and/or SkM muscle function.
