The Antiplatelet Effect of 4-Methylcatechol in a Real Population Sample and Determination of the Mechanism of Action
Abstract
A polyphenol-rich diet has beneficial effects on cardiovascular health. However, dietary polyphenols generally have low bioavailability and reach low plasma concentrations.
Small phenolic metabolites of these compounds formed by human microbiota are much more easily absorbable and could be responsible for this effect. One of these metabolites, 4-methylcatechol, was suggested to be a potent anti-platelet compound.
The effect of 4-MC was tested ex vivo in a group of 53 generally healthy donors using impedance blood aggregometry. The mechanism of action of this compound was also investigated by employing various aggregation inducers/inhibitors and a combination of aggregometry and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay methods. 4-MC was confirmed to be more potent than acetylsalicylic acid on both arachidonic acid and collagen-triggered platelet aggregation.