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Flavonoids: Potential New Drug Candidates for Attenuating Vascular Remodeling in Pulmonary Hypertension

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a progressive and life-threatening disorder characterized by elevated pulmonary arterial pressure, leading to right ventricular remodeling and significant mortality. Pulmonary arterial remodeling, a critical pathological feature of PH, refers to structural alterations in the pulmonary vasculature driven by various pathogenic factors. Targeting this remodeling process has emerged as a promising strategy for treating and potentially curing the disease. In recent years, growing interest has been directed toward exploring natural products as anti-PH agents. Among them, flavonoids have demonstrated potent efficacy in the cardiopulmonary system. As a prominent class of natural small-molecule compounds, flavonoids exhibit broad biological activities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-proliferative properties. They have shown the ability to inhibit remodeling and restore vascular function across various vessel types, including pulmonary arteries. This review summarizes the effects of flavonoids on PH, with emphasis on their inhibition of pulmonary arterial remodeling. We also discuss the therapeutic potential of flavonoids in PH and discuss their underlying mechanisms of action. These insights may guide the development of next-generation PH therapeutics, either through the utilization of flavonoid-based structures or the preparation of compound formulations containing flavonoids.

Source: International Journal of Molecular Sciences

DOI: 10.3390/ijms27010210