Effect of fast-food Mediterranean-type diet on type 2 diabetics and healthy human subjects’ platelet aggregation

Abstract

Objective The aim of our work was to carry out a randomized clinical trial with a fast-food Mediterranean type diet rich in platelet activating factor (PAF) antagonist to investigate the effect on type 2 diabetics and healthy human subject's platelet aggregation. Research design and methods We extracted lipids from fast-food Mediterranean type foodstuffs, and tested them in vitro for their ability to inhibit or antagonize PAF towards washed rabbit platelets. We chose the foodstuffs that exerted the most potent in vitro anti-PAF activity and fed 22 healthy (group A) and 23 type 2 diabetics (group B) subjects on a diet containing the chosen foodstuffs. The 22 type 2 diabetics (group C) subjects were kept on their regular diet that was being followed before entering the study. Before and after a 4-week diet, all enrolled subjects underwent the following examinations; measurement of total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL-cholesterol), high density lipoprotein (HDL-cholesterol), triglycerides, glucose, HbA 1c, body mass index (BMI), and platelet aggregation in response to PAF, adenosine 5′ diphosphate (ADP) and arachidonic acid (AA). Results The chosen diet significantly increased the EC 50 values of PAF and ADP to groups A and B ( p < 0.05). No statistical difference was observed on the EC 50 value of group C. No statistical differences were detected among Cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, HBA 1c, BMI, and EC 50 for AA values, for any of the three groups. Conclusions Consumption of a fast-food Mediterranean type diet rich in PAF antagonist improved platelet response of type 2 diabetics and healthy human subjects against thrombotic, inflammatory and proatherogenic factors.