Eat apples, onions, oranges to prevent blood clots

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Eat apples, onions, oranges to prevent blood clots

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An apple or orange a day can keep blood clots at bay, say researchers.

10 May,2012 11:08 pm

Chemical, called rutin, found in apples, oranges and onions can prevent blood clot formation: Harvard Medical SchoolA team at the Harvard Medical School have found that a chemical, called rutin, found in apples, oranges and onions could prevent blood clot formation in the arteries and veins, the Daily Mail reported.They believe that rutin -- also present in black and green tea -- could be used in future treatments to protect against heart attacks and strokes.In their study, the researchers found that the chemical helped block a potentially dangerous enzyme involved in the formation of blood clots. This enzyme -- protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) -- is released very quickly when blood clots form in the arteries and veins.They tested the ability of 500 different chemicals -- including rutin -- to block PDI using scientific models on computers. They found rutin was by far the most effective.Prof Robert Flaumenhaft, who led the study, said: Rutin proved to be the most potently anti-thrombotic compound that we ever tested in this model. Clots occur in both arteries and in veins. Clots in arteries are platelet-rich, while those in veins are fibrin-rich. This discovery suggests that a single agent can treat and prevent both types of clots.He added: A safe and inexpensive drug that could reduce recurrent clots could help save thousands of lives.Blood clots, or thromboses, occur in arteries and vein and restrict the flow of blood. If a clot occurs in one of the main arteries leading to heart it causes a heart attack. A clot occurring in an artery leading to the brain causes a stroke.