J Ethnopharmacol. 2026 Jun 27:122112. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2026.122112. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain a major challenge to global public health. Although various pharmacological and surgical interventions are available, their long-term use may be limited by adverse effects and dependence risks. Therefore, the development of safer and more effective therapeutic agents remains an important goal. Iridoids, a class of bioactive constituents widely distributed in medicinal plants, have shown considerable promise in cardiovascular protection.
AIM OF THE STUDY: This review summarizes current evidence regarding the cardioprotective effects of iridoids, explores their underlying mechanisms, and evaluates their prospects for clinical translation, with the aim of providing guidance for future research.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Wanfang, and CNKI from January 2015 to December 2025. A Boolean-based search strategy was used to identify studies involving representative iridoids (e.g., geniposide, catalpol, and aucubin) and cardiovascular disorders, including atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, and heart failure. Eligible experimental studies were analyzed to clarify their chemical characteristics, pharmacological activities, and associated signaling pathways.
RESULTS: Iridoids exert cardiovascular protective effects through multiple mechanisms, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-endoplasmic reticulum stress, and anti-apoptotic activities. Collectively, the available evidence highlights their potential as multi-target therapeutic agents for cardiovascular disorders.
CONCLUSION: Iridoids represent promising candidates for cardiovascular therapy. However, successful clinical translation will require further advances in improving bioavailability, clarifying toxicological profiles, and generating high-quality clinical evidence to validate their efficacy and safety.
PMID:42364674 | DOI:10.1016/j.jep.2026.122112