Japanese Plum Juice Concentrate: A Heart-Healthy Remedy
Researchers at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University have found that a simple juice concentrate from the Japanese plum, known as bainiku-ekisu, may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. The infused juice concentrate has been consumed in Japan as a health supplement since at least the 18th century. In experiments with mice, bainiku-ekisu was found to protect the vasculature from the effects of angiotensin II, a circulatory hormone that plays a central role in the development of hypertension. The juice concentrate also prevented the switch to glycolysis, suggesting that it protects against angiotensin II-induced hypertension by mitigating harmful metabolic changes that underlie hypertrophy and inflammation.
