The findings help explain the beneficial effect on cholesterol, already seen in several trials on oat consumption.
Researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University in Boston purified avenanthramides, antioxidant molecules in oats, and exposed them to human arterial wall cells for 24 hours.
The group, led by Mohsen Meydani, director of the HNRCA's Vascular Biology Laboratory, found the ability of blood cells to stick to arterial wall cells was significantly reduced.
When blood cells stick to artery walls and cause inflammation, plaquedeposits build up and narrow the passageways through which blood flows.The suppression of plaque provided by avenanthramide compounds maylessen the gradual constriction of vessels that leads to the hardening ofthe arteries.
The research furthers the reputation of oats as a heart-healthy food. Numerous scientific studies have shown that because of its high fibre content eating oatmeal daily may help to lower blood cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. This is backed by a health claim in the US.
Emerging research also suggests that oatmeal may help maintain healthy blood pressure levels, slow the rate of digestion and curb appetite.
"Adding oat products as part of an overall healthy diet and cutting down on high-fat, high-cholesterol foods are important to gaining these benefits," said Mohsen Meydani.
Oat fibre, an ingredient low in carbohydrates, absorbs up to seven times its weight in water making it useful for the bakery and snacks, dairy and meat industries.
More than 100 million Americans have total cholesterol of 200 mg/dL or higher, a level at which cardiovascular risk begins to rise, according to the American Heart Association. This is boosting sales of oat fibre as an ingredient in dietary foods - last year, Canadian company SunOpta announced a 20 per cent expansion plan for its US oat fibre production facility.