Cardiovascular benefits of dietary polyphenols

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) affects millions of people worldwide, thereby warranting more effective therapeutic approaches. Epidemiological studies have highlighted that a lower incidence of CVD rate is associated with long-term consumption of plant-based diets rich in polyphenols. Many polyphenolic compounds have been purported to possess significant protective effects against oxidative stress and inflammation in the vascular system, and may prevent myocardial ischemia through a complex signalling transduction pathway. Taken together, this suggests that cardiovascular health may be associated with long-term intake of dietary polyphenols. This chapter aims to both review the possible mechanism(s) by which polyphenols exert cardiovascular benefits, as well as collate the available evidence from preclinical and clinical trials of polyphenolic supplementation.