Prenatal effects of maternal consumption of polyphenol‐rich foods in late pregnancy upon fetal ductus arteriosus

Abstract

Fetal circulation has characteristic features, being morphologically and functionally different from extrauterine circulation. The ductus arteriosus plays a fundamental role in directing the blood flow to fetal inferior body parts. Basically, the ductus arteriosus directs 80–85% of the right ventricular output arising from the superior vena cava, coronary sinus, and a small part from the inferior vena cava to descending aorta. Its histological structure is made up predominantly by a thick muscular layer, differently from the aorta and the pulmonary artery, which increases with gestational age. The fibers have a circumferential orientation, especially at the external layers, facilitating and making effective ductal constriction. These factors may generate lumen alterations which may cause fetal and neonatal complications, such as heart failure, hydrops, neonatal pulmonary hypertension, and even death. Classically, maternal administration of indomethacin and/or other antiinflammatory drugs interfere in prostaglandins metabolism, causing ductal constriction. However, many cases of fetal ductal constriction, as well as of persistent neonatal pulmonary artery hypertension, remain without an established etiology, being referred as “idiopathic.” In recent years, a growing body of evidence has shown that herbs, fruits, nuts, and a wide diversity of substances commonly used in daily diets have definitive effects upon the metabolic pathway of inflammation, with consequent inhibition of prostaglandins synthesis. This antiinflammatory action, especially of polyphenols, when ingested during the third trimester of pregnancy, may influence the dynamics of fetal ductus arteriosus flow. The goal of this review is to present these new observations and findings, which may influence dietary orientation during pregnancy. Birth Defects Research (Part C) 99:256–274, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A grape seed extract maternal dietary supplementation in reproductive hens reduces oxidative stress associated to modulation of plasma and tissue adipokines expression and improves viability of offsprings

“…Moreover, it has been reported that some of these GSE effects could be associated to modulations of plasma adipokines such as adiponectin [19]. In mammals, different studies have demonstrated that maternal consumption of polyphenols including GSE during prenatal periods can positively affect the health of the offspring [20][21][22][23][24][25][26].…”

A Case of Cardiomyopathy Due to Premature Ductus Arteriosus Closure: The Flip Side of Paracetamol

“…flavonoids, which are even more potent than indomethacin. 8,9 In our case, the synergic effect of PP with APAP probably accentuated the DA constriction that led to the pharmacologic adverse event even if the etiology may not be clearly proven in retrospect. Progressive, augmented self-medications because of economic crisis as well as the return to ethnomedical methods or phytonutrients have been observed during the past years.…”

Morphometric abnormalities in spleen and kidney of the progeny of mice fed American cranberry extract (Vaccinium macrocarpon) during pregnancy and lactation

“…They regulate key targets related to oxidative stress and inflammation. It has been reported that polyphenol-rich foods, when ingested during the third trimester of pregnancy, may influence the dynamics of fetal ductus arteriosus flow through inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis (Zielinsky andBusato 2013, Ly et al 2014). There are also reports of embryotoxicity of catechins in vitro against murine embryos at the blastocyst stage (Tu et al 2010, Fan andChan 2014).…”