Natural products: The role and mechanism in low-density lipoprotein oxidation and atherosclerosis

Phytother Res. 2021 Jun;35(6):2945-2967. doi: 10.1002/ptr.7002. Epub 2020 Dec 25.

Abstract

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory, metabolic, and epigenetic disease, which leads to the life-threatening coronary artery disease. Emerging studies from bench to bedside have demonstrated the pivotal role of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis. This article hereby reviews oxidation mechanism of LDL, and the pro-atherogenic and biomarker role of oxidized LDL in atherosclerosis. We also review the pharmacological effects of several representative natural products (vitamin E, resveratrol, quercetin, probucol, tanshinone IIA, epigallocatechin gallate, and Lycopene) in protecting against LDL oxidation and atherosclerosis. Clinical and basic research supports the beneficial effects of these natural products in inhibiting LDL oxidation and preventing atherosclerosis, but the data are still controversial. This may be related to factors such as the population and the dosage and time of taking natural products involved in different studies. Understanding the mechanism of LDL oxidation and effect of oxidized LDL help researchers to find novel therapies against atherosclerosis.

Keywords: atherosclerosis; cardiovascular disease; low-density lipoprotein; natural products; oxidation; oxidized LDL.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Abietanes / pharmacology
  • Abietanes / therapeutic use
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology*
  • Antioxidants / therapeutic use
  • Atherosclerosis / drug therapy
  • Atherosclerosis / metabolism*
  • Biological Products / pharmacology
  • Biological Products / therapeutic use
  • Catechin / analogs & derivatives
  • Catechin / pharmacology
  • Catechin / therapeutic use
  • Dietary Supplements*
  • Humans
  • Lipoproteins, LDL / metabolism*
  • Lycopene / pharmacology
  • Lycopene / therapeutic use
  • Phytotherapy
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use
  • Probucol / pharmacology*
  • Probucol / therapeutic use
  • Quercetin / pharmacology
  • Quercetin / therapeutic use
  • Resveratrol / pharmacology
  • Resveratrol / therapeutic use
  • Vitamin E / pharmacology*
  • Vitamin E / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Abietanes
  • Antioxidants
  • Biological Products
  • Lipoproteins, LDL
  • Plant Extracts
  • oxidized low density lipoprotein
  • tanshinone
  • Vitamin E
  • Catechin
  • Quercetin
  • epigallocatechin gallate
  • Probucol
  • Resveratrol
  • Lycopene