DefinePK

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of mortality globally, largelyattributed to sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy diets, psychological stress, and environmentalfactors. Although conventional pharmacological therapies exist, they often carry drawbackssuch as adverse effects, high cost, and limited long-term efficacy. Traditional medicinesystems—especially Siddha, an ancient Dravidian practice—offer promising botanical
Rizwan Ul Hasan, Sanjay Kumar Yadav, Rizwan Ahmad, Sajjad Alam, Rizwan Ahmad, RinkeshKumar
alternatives with cardioprotective potential. Siddha formulations, historically documented inpalm-leaf manuscripts, incorporate numerous herbs with demonstrated cardiovascularbenefits. This review comprehensively explores the cardioprotective efficacy of variousmedicinal plants, focusing on their phytoconstituents, pharmacological actions, andmechanisms of action. Plants such as Terminalia chebula, Piper longum, Zingiber officinale,Tinospora cordifolia, Asparagus racemosus, Andrographis paniculata, Nelumbo nucifera,Allium sativum, and Bauhinia variegata have shown significant effects in preclinical andclinical studies. Other botanicals like Azadirachta indica, Bacopa monnieri, Curcuma longa,Hygrophila auriculata, Nigella sativa, Ocimum basilicum, Terminalia arjuna, Withaniasomnifera, and Tribulus terrestris also exhibit therapeutic potential against myocardialinfarction, hypertension, atherosclerosis, arrhythmias, and doxorubicin-inducedcardiotoxicity. This review emphasizes the phytochemical richness and multi-targetedmechanisms of these herbs—ranging from antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions tomodulation of lipid profiles and vascular function. With nearly 80% of the global populationrelying on traditional medicine, integrating validated plant-based remedies into mainstreamcardiovascular care could provide safer, more affordable, and holistic options for theprevention and management of CVDs.