title: Potential therapeutic effects of natural heme oxygenase-1 inducers in cardiovascular diseases.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  Many physiological effects of natural antioxidants, their extracts or their major active components, have been reported in recent decades. Most of these compounds are characterized by a phenolic structure, similar to that of α-tocopherol, and present antioxidant properties that have been demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo. Polyphenols may increase the capacity of endogenous antioxidant defenses and modulate the cellular redox state. Such effects may have wide-ranging consequences for cellular growth and differentiation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of in vitro and in vivo studies conducted so far have attributed the protective effect of bioactive polyphenols to their chemical reactivity toward free radicals and their capacity to prevent the oxidation of important intracellular components. One possible protective molecular mechanism of polyphenols is nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2) activation, which in turn regulates a number of detoxification enzymes.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Among the latter, the heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) pathway is likely to contribute to the established and powerful antioxidant/anti-inflammatory properties of polyphenols. In this context, it is interesting to note that induction of HO-1 expression by means of natural compounds contributes to prevention of cardiovascular diseases in various experimental models.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The focus of this review is on the role of natural HO-1 inducers as a potential therapeutic strategy to protect the cardiovascular system against various stressors in several pathological conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Drug Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Ignazio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Barbagallo
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Galvano
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frigiola
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cappello
authors.forename: Graziano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Riccioni
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Murabito
authors.forename: Nicolantonio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: D'Orazio
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Torella
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gazzolo
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li Volti
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology; D004790:Enzyme Induction; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D018384:Oxidative Stress
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1