This undergraduate organic chemistry project seeks to attach polyphenols, natural products found in berries and grapes, to metal cardiovascular stents. Stents are devices that hold open narrow arteries in patients with coronary artery disease, but stents can fail due to thrombosis or renarrowing of the artery post implantation. Some polyphenols have been shown in cell studies to enhance the migration and growth of endothelial cells that line healthy arteries. These polyphenols have also been shown to increase the production of nitric oxide in endothelial cells, helping to improve cardiovascular health and healing. The structure of polyphenols can easily be modified, resulting in a collection of synthesis targets where small changes in structure could vastly change the behavior of endothelial cells. The overall hypothesis of this research is that a bare metal stent releasing polyphenols will stimulate rapid endothelial healing, leading to long-term device success with less risk of thrombosis or renarrowing of the artery. To accomplish this goal, we have synthesized a library of polyphenols, investigated the attachment of these molecules to metal surfaces, and characterized the endothelial cell response to these molecules in vitro.

Progress toward a polyphenol releasing bare metal stent

248th National Meeting (2014)

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