Cardiovascular diseases and their associated risk conditions including dyslipidemia, hypertension and diabetes are one of the main health issues worldwide. The mechanisms underlying cardiovascular disorders are complex and multifactorial including oxidative stress, inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction as well as modulating the activities of several kinases and phosphatases.
Importantly, pharmacotherapies available for the management of these diseases are considered insufficient and show several limitations and side effects especially in high risk patients.
Nutraceuticals are bioactive food components or phytochemicals that provide benefits including the prevention or treatment of several diseases. Nutraceuticals such as flavonoids, vitamins and other natural substances have shown pleiotropic antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
These natural components enriched in dietary substances are believed to target multiple pathways in slow and effective ways without causing significant side effects. Current evidence potentiates the application of nutraceuticals to enhance the efficacy of pharmacological therapies and to reduce their adverse effects.
However, limited studies are available about the use nutraceuticals in cardiovascular diseases, their long-term safety and effectiveness especially in clinical trials and thus more research is required in this direction.
Cardiovascular diseases and their associated risk conditions including dyslipidemia, hypertension and diabetes are one of the main health issues worldwide. The mechanisms underlying cardiovascular disorders are complex and multifactorial including oxidative stress, inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction as well as modulating the activities of several kinases and phosphatases.
Importantly, pharmacotherapies available for the management of these diseases are considered insufficient and show several limitations and side effects especially in high risk patients.
Nutraceuticals are bioactive food components or phytochemicals that provide benefits including the prevention or treatment of several diseases. Nutraceuticals such as flavonoids, vitamins and other natural substances have shown pleiotropic antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
These natural components enriched in dietary substances are believed to target multiple pathways in slow and effective ways without causing significant side effects. Current evidence potentiates the application of nutraceuticals to enhance the efficacy of pharmacological therapies and to reduce their adverse effects.
However, limited studies are available about the use nutraceuticals in cardiovascular diseases, their long-term safety and effectiveness especially in clinical trials and thus more research is required in this direction.
