Abstract

Herbal medicines are being centrally focused since ages for the screening of newer and better treatment of health problems especially cardiac diseases. In the current manuscript, we have reviewed a number of important constituents of different herbs and plants, which belong to a wide range of families that affect the cardiovascular system by acting through one mechanism or the other as Rauwolfia serpentine, Nigella sativa, Curcuma longa and Allium sativum. However, there is an evidence for a considerable number of plants such as Phaleria macrocarpa, Inula racemosa, Panax notoginseng etc., that contain constituents affecting the cardiovascular system and can be beneficial for cardiac problems, but still need further investigation and pharmacological evaluation.

Key words: Cardiovascular, medicinal plants, hypertension, atherosclerosis, platelet aggregation.