Bioscience Evidence 2024, Vol.14, No.5, 206-217 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/be 212 Figure 2 The reconstructed pathway of α-linolenic acid biosynthesis and metabolism in Eucommia ulmoides (Adopted from Du et al., 2023) Image caption: FAB2, acyl-ACP desaturase; FATA, acyl-ACP thioesterase; D12-FAD, omega-6 fatty acid desaturase; D15-FAD, omega-3 fatty acid desaturase; LOX, lipoxygenase; DOX, alpha-dioxygenase. Various color blocks represent the normalized gene expression levels of candidate genes related to α-linolenic acid biosynthesis and metabolism in Eucommia ulmoides. The four boxes in one row of each heatmap (left to right) correspond to the expression levels in fruit, stem, leaf, and bark. Each row in the heatmap corresponds to one gene (Adopted from Du et al., 2023) 7 Health Benefits of α-Linolenic Acid fromEucommia ulmoides 7.1 Cardiovascular benefits of ALA α-Linolenic acid (ALA) has been extensively studied for its cardiovascular benefits. Research indicates that increasing dietary ALA is associated with a significant reduction in the risk of total cardiovascular disease and fatal coronary heart disease. Meta-analyses of observational studies have shown that higher ALA intake can lead to a 10% lower risk of total cardiovascular disease and a 20% reduced risk of fatal coronary heart disease. Randomized controlled trials, such as the AlphaOmega trial, PREDIMED trial, and Lyon Diet Heart Study, have demonstrated that diets high in ALA can improve cardiovascular outcomes, although the AlphaOmega trial only showed a trend towards benefit. Additionally, ALA has been shown to reduce total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure, which collectively contribute to its cardiovascular benefits. The anti-inflammatory properties of ALA also play a crucial role in its cardioprotective effects (Joris et al., 2019). 7.2 Anti-inflammatory effects of ALA ALA exhibits significant anti-inflammatory properties, which are beneficial in various inflammatory conditions. Studies have shown that ALA can reduce the levels of inflammatory biomarkers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) (Cambiaggi et al., 2023). In diabetic rats, ALA intake significantly reduced myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury by decreasing inflammation and oxidative stress, highlighting its potential in managing inflammation-related cardiac events (Xie et al., 2011). The anti-inflammatory effects of ALA are partly mediated through its conversion to long-chain n-3 PUFAs and their
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