Abstract
Flavonoids are a group of secondary metabolites derived from plant-based foods, and they offer many health benefits in different stages of several diseases. This review will focus on their effects on ion channels expressed in vascular smooth muscle during atherosclerosis. Since ion channels can be regulated by redox potential, it is expected that during the onset of oxidative stress-related diseases, ion channels present changes in their conductive activity, impacting the progression of the disease. A typical oxidative stress-related condition is atherosclerosis, which involves the dysfunction of vascular smooth muscle. We aim to present the state of the art on how redox potential affects vascular smooth muscle ion channel function and summarize if the benefits observed in this disease by using flavonoids involve restoring the ion channel activity.
Highlights
Atherosclerosis is the principal cause of cardiovascular diseases [1,2]; these diseases are considered the first cause of mortality globally, especially in developed and high-income countries, taking the lives of almost 18 million people every year [3]
Some of these actions are derived from their interaction with reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS); effects on ion channels in the plasmatic membrane of endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells have been reported [13,14]
The lesion is characterized by a fibrous cap and necrotic core, which is formed by dead vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and macrophages that phagocyte lipids and become foam cells [56,57]; the fibroatheroma develops, and calcification can be observed first in the necrotic core and in the surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM) [58,59,60]
Summary
Atherosclerosis is the principal cause of cardiovascular diseases [1,2]; these diseases are considered the first cause of mortality globally, especially in developed and high-income countries, taking the lives of almost 18 million people every year [3]. We consume flavonoids in our regular diet when we eat fruits and vegetables every day [10] They are subdivided into subgroups: chalcones, aurones, flavones, flavanols, anthocyanidins, flavonols, flavanones, and isoflavones [11]. The help in vascular health results from their biological activities as antioxidants since the opposition to oxidative stress lowers the risk of atherosclerosis development [13]. Some of these actions are derived from their interaction with reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS); effects on ion channels in the plasmatic membrane of endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells have been reported [13,14]. This paper discusses the influence of vascular smooth muscle ion currents in the progression of atherosclerosis and how this altered condition can be reversed using flavonoids
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