Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2025 Mar 27:16:1503832.
doi: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1503832. eCollection 2025.

Luteolin: a natural product with multiple mechanisms for atherosclerosis

Chanjun Wan #  1   2 , Qingzhi Liang #  3 , Yirong Ma #  4 , Yang Wang  3 , Liqiang Sun  1   2 , Junyu Lai  1   2 , Jianguang Wu  1   2 , Zhengtao Chen  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Luteolin: a natural product with multiple mechanisms for atherosclerosis

Chanjun Wan et al. Front Pharmacol. .

Abstract

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a degenerative and proliferative disease characterised by the deposition of lipid and/or fibrous substances within the intima of arteries. The pathological mechanisms of AS involve endothelial cell (EC) injury and dysfunction, vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) migration and proliferation, foam cell formation, inflammatory cell recruitment, and abnormal platelet activation and aggregation. In recent years, the incidence and mortality rates of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), which has AS as its pathological basis, have shown an upward trend globally. Currently, available therapeutic agents (such as statins, PCSK9 inhibitors, and antiplatelet drugs) can, to some extent, delay the progression of AS; however, many of these drugs have adverse effects or are not suitable for long-term use, potentially causing severe negative impacts on patients' lives and work. Therefore, the development of safe and effective therapeutic drugs holds immense social and economic significance. In recent years, natural compounds derived from plants have gradually emerged as a source of new drugs for treating AS. Luteolin (3',4',5,7-tetrahydroxyflavone) is a common plant-derived flavonoid widely found in various vegetables and fruits, including celery, parsley, broccoli, onion leaves, carrots, peppers, cabbage, apples, and chrysanthemums. Numerous preclinical studies have revealed that luteolin exhibits significant anti-AS effects. This article comprehensively reviews the effects of Lu on vascular cells (endothelial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells, macrophages, neutrophils) under experimental AS conditions and its regulatory effects on common AS risk factors (hypertension, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia), providing a strong evidential basis for the clinical application and mechanistic research of luteolin.

Keywords: atherosclerosis; blood vessel cells; luteolin; pharmacological mechanisms; psychological risk factors.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
The molecular structure and function of the functional groups of luteolin.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Effects of luteolin on various vascular cells under AS conditions.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Effect of luteolin on risk factors associated with AS 9.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Adawi M., Pastukh N., Saaida G., Sirchan R., Watad A., Blum A. (2019). Inhibition of endothelial progenitor cells may explain the high cardiovascular event rate in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. QJM-An Int. J. Med. 112 (2), 161. 10.1093/qjmed/hcy204 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Bajeu I. T., Niculescu A. G., Scafa-Udriste A., Andronescu E. (2024). Intrastent restenosis: a comprehensive review. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 25 (3), 1715. 10.3390/ijms25031715 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Bellosta S., Corsini A. (2018). Statin drug interactions and related adverse reactions: an update. Expert Opin. Drug Saf. 17 (1), 25–37. 10.1080/14740338.2018.1394455 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Ben S. C., Sahnoun D., Slim R., Ben F. F., Aouani C. (2020). Atorvastatin and sildenafil interaction-induced rhabdomyolysis. Ann. Pharmacother. 54 (10), 1047–1048. 10.1177/1060028020919933 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Boeing T., Da S. L., Mariott M., Andrade S. F., de Souza P. (2017). Diuretic and natriuretic effect of luteolin in normotensive and hypertensive rats: role of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. Pharmacol. Rep. 69 (6), 1121–1124. 10.1016/j.pharep.2017.05.010 - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources