Effect of Onion Peel Extract on Endothelial Function and Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Overweight and Obese Subjects

Epidemiological studies have shown a rapid increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity, not only in adults but also in children and adolescents, thus increasing the risk of early development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Quercetin, found abundantly in onion, prevents the induction of endothelial dysfunction, superoxide production, and overexpression by angiotensin II in the rat aorta. Furthermore, in our previous study we showed that supplementation with quercetin-rich onion peel extract (OPE) influenced adipokine expression, thus addressing its modulatory effect on obesity-induced inflammation, and improved insulin resistance by alleviating the metabolic dysregulation of free fatty acids, suppressing oxidative stress, upregulating glucose uptake, and downregulating inflammatory gene expression. But there are limited studies on the relationship between quercetin supplementation and endothelial dysfunction in humans.