Prospects and Challenges of Catechins in Cardiovascular Disease.

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have become one of the leading threats to human health due to their high incidence and mortality rates. Their pathological mechanisms are complex, involving inflammation, oxidative stress, energy metabolism, and other factors. Catechins are a group of flavanol derivatives originally extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine Acacia catechu (L.f.) Willd. Their unique polyhydroxy chemical structure endows catechins with a range of biological activities, such as anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidant properties, and the regulation of nutrient homeostasis. Recent studies have shown the beneficial effects of catechins in atherosclerosis, hypertension, heart failure, cardiomyopathy, and other cardiovascular conditions. Therefore, catechins present significant potential as a therapeutic approach for CVDs. This review provides an overview of the structure, pharmacological mechanisms, and recent research developments of catechins in cardiovascular diseases, with the goal of offering insights for the future medicinal study of catechins.