ULOG #047 : Aratiles or Muntingia Calabura in Preventing Hypertension, Heart Disease and Stroke?

In continuity of my post about Aratiles or manzanitas, Jamaican cherry, Panama berry among other names, Ilocanos in Northern Philippines call it manzanita. Growing up, I don't recall the fruits nor the leaves being used as a herbal medicine, but that all changed when visiting the Visayas in Central Philippines last year, specifically in Bayawan City. In everyone's backyard is a manzanita tree or more. From what I've gathered, this fruit is packed with antioxidant properties, a possible treatment for the Big C where a few articles have mentioned of ongoing studies for this. That we have to wait and see.

Furthermore, can this tiny fruit prevent Heart Disease?

From my recent research, the one thing that jumped at me is that, this fruit apparently is rich in Nitric Oxide (NO), an important factor in maintaining vascular homeostasis.

The biochemistry of NO, as with every function of the human body, depends upon enzymes that break down substances as a means to creating new substances. In this case, an enzyme known as nitric oxide synthases (NOS) breaks down the amino acid L-arginine to form another amino acid, L-citrulline, which then forms nitric oxide.

Let's ask @alchemage on what he can say about this nitric oxide. Where to sourced NO?

They do say that prevention is better than cure? If this is true, then the world's population need to know more about this fruit in HEART DISEASE prevention. Don't stop there, but how about as a CURE?

Accordingly, nitrates and nitrites relax all types of smooth muscle, such as those of the cardiovascular system, this includes veins, arteries and capillaries.

source

This relaxation is synonimous with vasodilation where in the medical field, the effect is a lowering of the blood pressure. Hence, medications such as nitrates are acutely given as an acute management, as well as a maintenance to patients' blood pressure control.

What are the ramifications of natural nitric oxide sourced from veggies and fruits?

If one has to look how much risk factors there are in Heart Disease, perhaps preventing their occurences is much better and easier if we simply accept that the success in doing that depends to our adherence in having a healthy diet rich in nitric oxide?

Nitric oxide in controlling blood pressure.

As people aged, heart disease is eminent due to physiologic changes in our bodies brought on by a lot of causes. As a risk factor, hypertension is one where intrinsic changes along the muscles and elastic tissues of our arterial walls occur, leading to atheroschlerosis or vice versa.

Perhaps this is where NO comes in to prevent these risk factors of heart disease?

Food as medicine in heart disease prevention is not that farfetched, is it?

Heart disease and stroke are among the most widespread and costly health problems facing our nation today, yet they are also among the most preventative.

- Center of Disease Control in 2009

Prevention with a balanced diet perhaps that are rich in nitric oxide? Maybe then the morbidity from heart disease and stroke will decrease in the near future just by simply having a healthy diet, among other diseases.

There is this article that i find amusing though very educational for anyone who wants to read more about nitric oxide and heart disease

Do we know of fruits and veggies that are rich in Nitric Oxide? Am sure that we have them in abundance all over the world. We only need to find out more on what they are. Aratiles or Muntingia calabura is one, same with white pyre and spinach. The rest i will need to do further research on them.

References:
The Role of Nitric Oxide in Endothelium Function
Heart disease