Atherosclerosis is related to fat accumulation in the arterial walls and vascular stiffening, and results in acute coronary syndrome which is commonly associated with acute myocardial infarction. Oxidative stress participates in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Thus, the inclusion of food sources of dietary antioxidants, such as different kinds of nuts, may improve biomarkers related to oxidative stress, contributing to a possible reduction in atherosclerosis progression. This article has briefly highlighted the interaction between oxidative stress, atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular disease, in addition to the effect of the consumption of different nuts and related dietary antioxidants-like polyphenols and vitamin E-on biomarkers of oxidative stress in primary and secondary cardiovascular prevention. Studies in vitro suggest that nuts may exert antioxidant effects by DNA repair mechanisms, lipid peroxidation prevention, modulation of the signaling pathways, and inhibition of the MAPK pathways through the suppression of NF-κB and activation of the Nrf2 pathways. Studies conducted in animal models showed the ability of dietary nuts in improving biomarkers of oxidative stress, such as oxLDL and GPx. However, clinical trials in humans have not been conclusive, especially with regards to the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease.
Keywords: antioxidants; cardiovascular diseases; nuts; oxidative stress.