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Review
. 2023 Oct 25;11(11):2888.
doi: 10.3390/biomedicines11112888.

Resveratrol and beyond: The Effect of Natural Polyphenols on the Cardiovascular System: A Narrative Review

Roland Gál  1   2 , Róbert Halmosi  1   2 , Ferenc Gallyas Jr  3 , Michael Tschida  4 , Pornthira Mutirangura  5 , Kálmán Tóth  1   2 , Tamás Alexy  6 , László Czopf  1
Affiliations
Review

Resveratrol and beyond: The Effect of Natural Polyphenols on the Cardiovascular System: A Narrative Review

Roland Gál et al. Biomedicines. .

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Unhealthy dietary habits have clearly been shown to contribute to the development of CVDs. Beyond the primary nutrients, a healthy diet is also rich in plant-derived compounds. Natural polyphenols, found in fruits, vegetables, and red wine, have a clear role in improving cardiovascular health. In this review, we strive to summarize the results of the relevant pre-clinical and clinical trials that focused on some of the most important natural polyphenols, such as resveratrol and relevant flavonoids. In addition, we aim to identify their common sources, biosynthesis, and describe their mechanism of action including their regulatory effect on signal transduction pathways. Finally, we provide scientific evidence regarding the cardiovascular benefits of moderate, long-term red wine consumption.

Keywords: cardiovascular diseases; inflammation; oxidative stress; polyphenols; resveratrol.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The primary sources and physiological effects of relevant polyphenols.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The main mechanisms of action of stilbenes. Akt: protein kinase B; AMPK: AMP-activated protein kinase; COX: cyclooxygenase; Bcl-2: B-cell lymphoma 2, DNA: deoxyribonucleic acid; Drp1: dynamin-related protein 1; ETC: electron transport chain; FOXO: Forkhead box O; GPx: glutathione peroxidase; GSH: glutathione; GSK-3β: glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta; eNOS: endothelial nitric oxide synthase; HO-1: heme oxygenase-1; ICAM: intracellular cell adhesion molecule; IL: interleukin; JAK: Janus kinase; MAPK: mitogen-activated protein kinase; mTOR: mammalian target of rapamycin; NF-κB: nuclear factor kappa B; NOX: NADPH oxidases; Nrf: nuclear respiratory factor; PI3K: phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; PGC-1α: peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha; ROS: reactive oxygen species; SIRT1: NAD-dependent deacetylase sirtuin-1; SOD: superoxide dismutase; STAT: signal transducer and activator of transcription proteins; TGF-β: transforming growth factor; TLR4: toll-like receptor 4; TNF: tumor necrosis factor; VCAM: vascular cell adhesion molecule.
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Grants and funding

This study was supported by NKFIH within the framework of the University of Pécs project TKP2021-EGA-17.

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