This is for research into how chocolate polyphenols reduce the risk of CVD, I'm specifically interested in the physiological processes i.e. what do the polyphenols do once they are in the plasma?
I am not a biochemist but lipids / phospholipids can get oxidized. This oxidative stress can provoke CVD.
Generally speaking, polyphenols can trap any sort of peroxy radicals which are one of the intermediates of this oxidative mechanism.
You can find some data on the reactions between radicals and phenol in the book by Denisov and Asanev. I compiled some kinetic data in my papers too (for PP + phenols or PE + vitamin E but basically, reactions are the same than in vivo)
the reactions between radicals and phenols for neutralizing free radicals (peroxides)
are explained by looking at reaction in Creb's cycle (Citric acid cycle)
Polyphenols are reported to increase NO synthase activity. NO is an antioxidant that delays programmed cell death, also a potent vasodilator that inhibits platelet adherence and aggregation mediated by reactive oxygen species, prevents the leukocytes from sticking to endothelium and suppresses the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells.
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