(a)
| Metabolic and endocrine disorders | ||
|---|---|---|
| Assays | Effects | |
| In vitro | Pancreatic α-amylase, pancreatic lipase, and secreted PLA2 inhibitions [45] | (i) Cocoa extracts and procyanidins dose-dependently inhibited pancreatic α-amylase, pancreatic lipase, and secreted PLA2, showing greater inhibitory activity against PLA2. The inhibitory potency increases with the degree of polymerization |
| HepG2 and Caco2 [50] | (i) (+)-catechin, (−)-epicatechin, procyanidin B2, procyanidin C1, and cinnamtannin A2 (10 μM): ↑ ApoA1 ↓ ApoB due to upregulation of SREBPs and increased LDL receptor activity |
|
|
| ||
| In vivo | Randomized crossover trial with 19 hypertensive patients with impaired glucose tolerance [47] | (i) Flavanol-rich dark chocolate (100 g/day for 15 days): (a) ↓ insulin resistance, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol (b) ↑ insulin sensitivity, β-cell function, and flow-mediated dilation |
| Randomized, crossover feeding trial in 42 high-risk volunteers [51] | (i) Chronic cocoa consumption (42 g/day for 4 weeks): (a) significant increases of phase II metabolites (glucuronide, sulfate conjugates) in 24 h urine (b) ↑ HDL-cholesterol (c) ↓ LDL-cholesterol |
|
| Meta-analysis of 8 randomized controlled trials involving 215 participants [52] | (i) Short-term cocoa consumption: (a) ↓ LDL and total cholesterol (changes depended on the amount of cocoa consumed and the health status of participants) |
|
| Randomized, single-blind, crossover study with 14 overweight/obese subjects [53] | (i) 20 g of dark chocolate with 500 mg of polyphenols and then 20 g of dark chocolate with 1000 mg of polyphenols or vice versa for 2 weeks separated by a 1-week washout period: (a) both doses were equally effective in reducing fasting blood glucose levels, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure |
|
| Randomized, placebo-controlled double-blind crossover trial [31] | (i) High polyphenol chocolate (16.6 mg of epicatechins in 45 g): (a) ↑ HDL-cholesterol (b) ↓ LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol/HDL ratio High-polyphenol chocolate is effective in improving the atherosclerotic cholesterol profile in patients with diabetes |
|