Hypotensive natural products: current status

Hypertension is a common and progressive disorder that possesses a major risk for cardiovascular and renaldisease. Recent data have revealed that the global burden of hypertension is an important and increasing public healthproblem worldwide and that the level of awareness, treatment and control of hypertension varies considerably amongcountries. Hypertension is often called a ‘silent killer’ because persons with this pathological condition can be asymptomaticfor years and then have a fatal heart attack or stroke. The field of naturally occurring antihypertensive agent is a researcharea rapidly expanding due to the high potential of such molecules as new antihypertensive drugs. Recently, a greatnumber of plant-derived substances have been evaluated as possible antihypertensive agents through different mechanismsof action such as alkaloids, flavonoids and terpenoids. In this mini-review we will discuss the medicinal chemistryof these compounds