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Current Pharmaceutical Design

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 1381-6128
ISSN (Online): 1873-4286

Review Article

Natural Products with Antiplatelet Action

Author(s): Gabriela Elisa Hirsch, Paulo Ricardo Nazario Viecili, Amanda Spring de Almeida, Sabrina Nascimento, Fernando Garcez Porto, Juliana Otero, Aline Schmidt, Brenda da Silva, Mariana Migliorini Parisi and Jonatas Zeni Klafke*

Volume 23, Issue 8, 2017

Page: [1228 - 1246] Pages: 19

DOI: 10.2174/1381612823666161123151611

Price: $65

Abstract

Background: Complex hemostatic mechanisms are involved in the pathophysiology of various diseases, including cardiovascular diseases. Among them, dysregulation of platelet activity is linked to the progression of atherosclerosis and mainly involves platelet aggregation and a decrease in blood flow in the vascular endothelium. The major platelet activation pathways mediated by agonists involve the arachidonic acid pathway, adenosine diphosphate pathway, serotonin pathway, nitric oxide pathway, and action of free radicals on molecules involved in platelet aggregation. These mechanisms have been widely studied and discussed because they are inhibited by the use of medicinal plants in complementary and alternative medicine, thus reducing platelet aggregation.

Results: Of the main plants discussed in this review, which have antiplatelet activity, some include saffron, garlic, green tea, St. John's wort, ginger, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, and guavirova. These herbal medicines have phytochemical components, which are directly related to the antiplatelet activity of the plant, such as flavonoids, curcumins, catechins, terpenoids, polyphenols, and saponins. While the majority of the medicinal plants mentioned here were native to the Asian continents, some are distributed worldwide, and found to a smaller extent throughout the American continent, European continent, Mediterranean, African continent, and the Middle East.

Conclusion: This review showed that several plants and/or compounds exhibit anti-platelet activity, and are therefore potential research targets for developing drugs to treat diseases related to aggregation disorders.

Keywords: Platelet aggregation, medicinal plants, phytochemicals, agonists, antiaggregatory activity, cardiovascular diseases.


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