Bioactive Compounds in Cardiovascular and Antimicrobial Applications
Summary
Bioactive compounds from plants, microbes and marine organisms have emerged as versatile agents in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease and infectious disorders. In the cardiovascular realm, flavonoids, phenolic acids and peptides modulate endothelial function, inhibit oxidative stress and improve lipid metabolism. Key mechanisms include restoration of nitric oxide bioavailability, suppression of pro-inflammatory mediators and attenuation of lipid peroxidation. On the antimicrobial front, alkaloids, terpenoids and polyphenols display broad-spectrum activity against bacteria, fungi and viruses by disrupting cell walls, inhibiting nucleic acid synthesis and impairing membrane integrity. The ongoing rise in antimicrobial resistance and cardiovascular morbidity underlines the global need for novel, safe and efficacious natural compounds. Recent advances in metabolomic profiling, structure–activity relationship studies and nanodelivery systems have accelerated the translation of these agents into therapeutic candidates. Integrative research continues to reveal synergistic formulations that bridge cardiovascular protection with antimicrobial defence, illustrating the potential of bioactive compounds to address interconnected non-communicable and infectious disease burdens.
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Bioactive Compounds in Cardiovascular and Antimicrobial Applications publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in bioactive compounds in cardiovascular and antimicrobial applications across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Bioactive compound: A molecule that exerts a biological effect on living tissues or organisms.
Nitric oxide (NO): A gaseous signalling molecule involved in vascular relaxation and immune responses.
Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA): An endogenous inhibitor of endothelial nitric oxide synthase diminishing NO production.
Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC): The lowest concentration of an antimicrobial agent that prevents visible growth of a microorganism.
Endothelial dysfunction: Impaired function of the vascular endothelium marked by reduced vasodilation and pro-inflammatory changes.
References
- Characterization and Bioactive Potential of Secondary Metabolites Isolated from Piper sarmentosum Roxb.. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2023).
- Antibacterial and Antifungal Alkaloids from Asian Angiosperms: Distribution, Mechanisms of Action, Structure-Activity, and Clinical Potentials. Antibiotics (2022).
- Piper sarmentosum Promotes Endothelial Nitric Oxide Production by Reducing Asymmetric Dimethylarginine in Tumor Necrosis Factor-α-Induced Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells. Frontiers in Pharmacology (2019).
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