Role of quercetin in cardiovascular diseases

Cardiovascular disease constitutes a major public health concern in industrialized nations. Over recent decades, a large body of evidence has accumulated indicating that oxidative stress induced free radicals play a critical role in cellular processes implicated in atherosclerosis and many other heart diseases. However a diet high in antioxidants is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. The compound quercetin is a dietary antioxidant with a polyphenolic structure that is present in many foods, such as onion, apples, wine and tea. An increased intake of quercetin has been correlated with a decrease in the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Quercetin has been reported to exhibit a wide range of biological and pharmacological effects in animals and man besides its antioxidative and free radical scavenging actions. This paper reviews various steps of oxidative stress mediated atherogenesis and their signaling pathways and also emphasizes the role of quercetin in controlling oxidative stress and reducing the incidence of cardiovascular diseases.