Figure 7.

Potential atheroprotective role of Mediterranean diet during the atherogenetic process. The Mediterranean diet, with mainly its antioxidant properties, may (1) inhibit/reduce the imbalance between vasoconstrictors and vasodilators, (2) block oxidation of low density lipoproteins, (3) inhibit monocytes adhesion to endothelial cells constraining monocytes infiltration in the subendothelial space, (4) repress differentiation of macrophages in lipid-laden macrophages, defined as foam cells, and (5) reduce radical oxygen species syntheses. ET-1: endothelin-1; LDLs: low density lipoproteins; NO: nitric oxide; ROS: radical oxygen species.