title: Natural Products with Antiplatelet Action.
abstract: Complex hemostatic mechanisms are involved in the pathophysiology of various diseases, including cardiovascular diseases. Among them, dysregulation of platelet activity is linked to the progression of atherosclerosis and mainly involves platelet aggregation and a decrease in blood flow in the vascular endothelium. The major platelet activation pathways mediated by agonists involve the arachidonic acid pathway, adenosine diphosphate pathway, serotonin pathway, nitric oxide pathway, and action of free radicals on molecules involved in platelet aggregation. These mechanisms have been widely studied and discussed because they are inhibited by the use of medicinal plants in complementary and alternative medicine, thus reducing platelet aggregation.
  
  
  
  Of the main plants discussed in this review, which have antiplatelet activity, some include saffron, garlic, green tea, St. John's wort, ginger, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, and guavirova. These herbal medicines have phytochemical components, which are directly related to the antiplatelet activity of the plant, such as flavonoids, curcumins, catechins, terpenoids, polyphenols, and saponins. While the majority of the medicinal plants mentioned here were native to the Asian continents, some are distributed worldwide, and found to a smaller extent throughout the American continent, European continent, Mediterranean, African continent, and the Middle East.
  
  
  
  This review showed that several plants and/or compounds exhibit anti-platelet activity, and are therefore potential research targets for developing drugs to treat diseases related to aggregation disorders.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Atenção Integral à Saúde (PPGAIS), Universidade de Cruz Alta (UNICRUZ), 98020-290 Cruz Alta, RS. Brazil.
authors.forename: Gabriela Elisa
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Hirsch
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Atenção Integral à Saúde (PPGAIS), Universidade de Cruz Alta (UNICRUZ), 98020-290 Cruz Alta, RS. Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo Ricardo Nazario
authors.initials: PRN
authors.lastname: Viecili
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Atenção Integral à Saúde (PPGAIS), Universidade de Cruz Alta (UNICRUZ), 98020-290 Cruz Alta, RS. Brazil.
authors.forename: Amanda Spring
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: de Almeida
authors.affiliation: Grupo Multidisciplinar de Saúde (GMS), Universidade de Cruz Alta (UNICRUZ), 98020-290 Cruz Alta, RS. Brazil.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.affiliation: Grupo Multidisciplinar de Saúde (GMS), Universidade de Cruz Alta (UNICRUZ), 98020-290 Cruz Alta, RS. Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernando Garcez
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Porto
authors.affiliation: Grupo Multidisciplinar de Saúde (GMS), Universidade de Cruz Alta (UNICRUZ), 98020-290 Cruz Alta, RS. Brazil.
authors.forename: Juliana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Otero
authors.affiliation: Centro de Ensino e Pesquisa (CEP), Instituto de Cardiologia de Cruz Alta (ICCA), 98010-110 Cruz Alta, RS. Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: Centro de Ensino e Pesquisa (CEP), Instituto de Cardiologia de Cruz Alta (ICCA), 98010-110 Cruz Alta, RS. Brazil.
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Centro de Ensino e Pesquisa (CEP), Instituto de Cardiologia de Cruz Alta (ICCA), 98010-110 Cruz Alta, RS. Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariana Migliorini
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Parisi
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Atenção Integral à Saúde, Universidade de Cruz Alta, Campus Universitário Dr. Ulysses Guimarães - Rodovia Municipal Jacob Della Méa, Km 5.6 - Parada Benito, 98020-290 Cruz Alta, RS. Brazil.
authors.forename: Jonatas Zeni
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Klafke
mesh_terms: D001688:Biological Products / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D010974:Platelet Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors
keywords: Platelet aggregation; agonists; antiaggregatory activity; cardiovascular diseases; medicinal plants; phytochemicals