Medicinal Plants with Antiplatelet Activity

Abstract

Blood platelets play an essential role in the hemostasis and wound-healing processes. However, platelet hyperactivity is associated to the development and the complications of several cardiovascular diseases. In this sense, the search for potent and safer antiplatelet agents is of great interest. This article provides an overview of experimental studies performed on medicinal plants with antiplatelet activity available through literature with particular emphasis on the bioactive constituents, the parts used, and the various platelet signaling pathways modulated by medicinal plants. From this review, it was suggested that medicinal plants with antiplatelet activity mainly belong to the family of Asteraceae, Rutaceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, Zygophyllaceae, Rhamnaceae, Liliaceae, and Zingiberaceae. The antiplatelet effect is attributed to the presence of bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, flavonoids, coumarins, terpenoids, and other substances which correct platelet abnormalities by interfering with different platelet signalization pathways including inhibition of the ADP pathway, suppression of TXA2 formation, reduction of intracellular Ca(2+) mobilization, and phosphoinositide breakdown, among others. The identification and/or structure modification of the plant constituents and the understanding of their action mechanisms will be helpful in the development of new antiplatelet agents based on medicinal plants which could contribute to the prevention of thromboembolic-related disorders by inhibiting platelet aggregation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Bioactive peptides and proteins as alternative antiplatelet drugs

“…These peptides have homologous motifs in the fibrinogen. Such peptides include γ‐chain peptides, Gly‐Pro‐Arg‐Pro, and Arg‐Gly‐Asp, among others . While Gly‐Pro‐Arg‐Pro exhibits homology to sequences in fibrinogen, Arg‐Gly‐Asp sequences can be seen in fibrin and von Willebrand Factor (vWF) as well, apart from two positions in fibrinogens.…”

“…Arg-Gly-Asp, among others. 68,69 While Gly-Pro-Arg-Pro exhibits homology to sequences in fibrinogen, Arg-Gly-Asp sequences can be seen in fibrin and von Willebrand Factor (vWF) as well, apart from two positions in fibrinogens. The γ-chain peptides and Arg-Gly-Asp can antagonize the interaction of adhesive proteins with platelets.…”

“…Diverse natural novel proteins and peptides which affect cardiovascular physiology can be used in controlling various pathological events resultant of platelet aggregation and clotting disorders [66][67][68][69][70] (Table 1). All these pathologies are studied in same experiments, as they are interrelated and a ligand affecting one parameter also influences others, to an extent providing synergistic action.…”

Anti-platelet aggregation effects of extracts from Arbutus unedo leaves

“…The high incidence of cardiovascular disorders and the limited tolerability of the main antiplatelet agents currently used (Van De Graaff and Steinhubl, 2001) has stimulated research into the prevention of platelet hyperactivity by several means including medicinal plants (El Haouari and Rosado, 2016). The interest in the use of medicinal plants has been attributed to their good accessibility and to the believe that most of them are better tolerated than conventional drugs (Izzo et al, 2016).…”

Flavonoids, Inflammation and Immune System

“…However, flavonoid biological activities go beyond antioxidant properties, although some of them are related to these abilities. Some particular kinds of flavonoids have shown protective effects against cancer [2,3], cardiovascular diseases [4,5,6], gastrointestinal alterations [7] and nervous system-related syndromes, such as depression [8], epilepsy [9,10], Alzheimer’s disease [11] and neurodegenerative disease [12], among other pathologic conditions.…”