Therapeutic Potential of Hibiscus sabdariffa Linn. in Attenuating Cardiovascular Risk Factors

• Published in: Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 16; no. 6; p. 807
• Main Authors: Sapian, Syaifuzah, Ibrahim Mze, Asma Ali, Jubaidi, Fatin Farhana, Mohd Nor, Nor Anizah, Taib, Izatus Shima, Abd Hamid, Zariyantey, Zainalabidin, Satirah, Mohamad Anuar, Nur Najmi, Katas, Haliza, Latip, Jalifah, Jalil, Juriyati, Abu Bakar, Nur Faizah, Budin, Siti Balkis
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 29-05-2023; MDPI
• Subjects: Acids; Annual reports; Antihypertensives; Apoptosis; cardiac; Cardiovascular disease; Diabetes; Disease prevention; Drug therapy; Ethanol; Flavonoids; Heart attacks; Heart failure; Hypertension; Inflammation; Metabolic disorders; natural products; nutraceutical; Oxidative stress; prevention; Review; Risk factors; roselle; vessels; Asia; natural products; roselle; prevention; vessels; nutraceutical; cardiac
• ISSN: 1424-8247; 1424-8247
• DOI: 10.3390/ph16060807

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) represent a broad spectrum of diseases afflicting the heart and blood vessels and remain a major cause of death and disability worldwide. CVD progression is strongly associated with risk factors, including hypertension, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, oxidative stress, inflammation, fibrosis, and apoptosis. These risk factors lead to oxidative damage that results in various cardiovascular complications including endothelial dysfunctions, alterations in vascular integrity, the formation of atherosclerosis, as well as incorrigible cardiac remodeling. The use of conventional pharmacological therapy is one of the current preventive measures to control the development of CVDs. However, as undesirable side effects from drug use have become a recent issue, alternative treatment from natural products is being sought in medicinal plants and is gaining interest. Roselle (
Linn.) has been reported to contain various bioactive compounds that exert anti-hyperlipidemia, anti-hyperglycemia, anti-hypertension, antioxidative, anti-inflammation, and anti-fibrosis effects. These properties of roselle, especially from its calyx, have relevance to its therapeutic and cardiovascular protection effects in humans. This review summarizes the findings of recent preclinical and clinical studies on roselle as a prophylactic and therapeutic agent in attenuating cardiovascular risk factors and associated mechanisms.