title: Hypotensive natural products: current status.
abstract: Hypertension is a common and progressive disorder that possesses a major risk for cardiovascular and renal disease. Recent data have revealed that the global burden of hypertension is an important and increasing public health problem worldwide and that the level of awareness, treatment and control of hypertension varies considerably among countries. Hypertension is often called a 'silent killer' because persons with this pathological condition can be asymptomatic for years and then have a fatal heart attack or stroke. The field of naturally occurring antihypertensive agent is a research area rapidly expanding due to the high potential of such molecules as new antihypertensive drugs. Recently, a great number of plant-derived substances have been evaluated as possible antihypertensive agents through different mechanisms of action such as alkaloids, flavonoids and terpenoids. In this mini-review we will discuss the medicinal chemistry of these compounds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nutrition and Health Sciences, University of Calabria, I-87036 Rende (CS) Italy. mr.loizzo@unical.it
authors.forename: Monica Rosa
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Loizzo
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tundis
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Menichini
authors.forename: Giancarlo Antonio
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Statti
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Menichini
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D001688:Biological Products / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D059808:Polyphenols; D013729:Terpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D001688:Biological Products; D005419:Flavonoids; D010636:Phenols; D059808:Polyphenols; D013729:Terpenes