Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 2, 2026
Protection of H9c2 Myocardial Cells from Oxidative Stress by Crocetin via PINK1/Parkin Pathway-Mediated Mitophagy
Published on: May 26, 2023
Effects of Polyphenols on Oxidative Stress-Mediated Injury in Cardiomyocytes
Rosanna Mattera1, Monica Benvenuto2, Maria Gabriella Giganti3
1Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133 Rome, Italy. rosannamatter@gmail.com.
Insights
Polyphenols, found in plants, combat heart failure by reducing oxidative and nitrosative stress. These natural compounds protect heart cells from damage and improve cardiac function, offering a potential dietary strategy for cardiovascular health.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Biochemistry
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Cardiovascular diseases are a leading global cause of death and illness.
- Oxidative and nitrosative stresses contribute to heart failure by damaging heart cells (cardiomyocytes).
- Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) play a key role in this cellular damage.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the potential anti-oxidative effects of polyphenols in controlling cardiotoxicity.
- To explore how polyphenols mitigate damage caused by ROS and RNS stress in the heart.
Main Methods:
- Review of epidemiological studies and scientific literature on polyphenol effects.
- Analysis of polyphenol mechanisms in reducing oxidative and nitrosative stress.
- Examination of polyphenol impact on cardiomyocyte apoptosis, necrosis, and cardiac function.
Main Results:
- Polyphenols are associated with preventing ROS-mediated diseases.
- Polyphenols reduce cardiomyocyte damage, apoptosis, necrosis, and infarct size.
- Polyphenols improve cardiac function by decreasing ROS/RNS production and modulating antioxidant enzymes and cell survival pathways.
Conclusions:
- Polyphenols demonstrate significant potential in controlling cardiotoxicity induced by oxidative and nitrosative stress.
- Dietary intake of polyphenols may offer a protective strategy against heart failure.
- Further research into polyphenol mechanisms can advance cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment.
Abstract:
Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of mortality and morbidity in the world. Hypertension, ischemia/reperfusion, diabetes and anti-cancer drugs contribute to heart failure through oxidative and nitrosative stresses which cause cardiomyocytes nuclear and mitochondrial DNA damage, denaturation of intracellular proteins, lipid peroxidation and inflammation. Oxidative or nitrosative stress-mediated injury lead to cardiomyocytes apoptosis or necrosis. The reactive oxygen (ROS) and nitrogen species (RNS) concentration is dependent on their production and on the expression and activity of anti-oxidant enzymes. Polyphenols are a large group of natural compounds ubiquitously expressed in plants, and epidemiological studies have shown associations between a diet rich in polyphenols and the prevention of various ROS-mediated human diseases. Polyphenols reduce cardiomyocytes damage, necrosis, apoptosis, infarct size and improve cardiac function by decreasing oxidative stress-induced production of ROS or RNS. These effects are achieved by the ability of polyphenols to modulate the expression and activity of anti-oxidant enzymes and several signaling pathways involved in cells survival. This report reviews current knowledge on the potential anti-oxidative effects of polyphenols to control the cardiotoxicity induced by ROS and RNS stress.
