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Alinezhad B. Therapeutic Potential of Medicinal Plants in Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury: A Narrative Review. pbp 2026; 8 (4)
URL: http://pbp.medilam.ac.ir/article-1-446-en.html
URL: http://pbp.medilam.ac.ir/article-1-446-en.html
Department of General Surgery, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran , dr.alinezhad@yahoo.com
Abstract: (25 Views)
Objective: Ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury is a major contributor to tissue damage in vital organs, including the heart, brain, liver, and kidneys. Medicinal plants are rich sources of bioactive compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytoprotective activities and may therefore offer a promising approach to limiting the pathological consequences of I/R. This narrative review aimed to synthesise the available evidence on the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants and herbal preparations in I/R injury and to elucidate the principal mechanisms underlying their protective effects.
Methods: The literature published between January 2010 and 2026 was searched using PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and the Islamic World Science Citation Center (ISC). The search centred on two principal concepts: medicinal plants and I/R injury. Relevant in vitro, experimental animal, and human studies were considered. Data on the medicinal plant or herbal preparation, experimental model, dosage, type of I/R injury, reported protective effects, and proposed mechanisms were narratively extracted and synthesised.
Results: In cerebral I/R injury, Curcuma longa, Artemisia absinthium, Radix Scrophulariae, Gastrodia elata, Rosa laevigata, Ocimum basilicum, and Ginkgo biloba were associated with reductions in oxidative stress, infarct size, apoptosis, and neurological impairment. In cardiac I/R injury, Hemidesmus indicus, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Desmodium gangeticum, and Aralia elata, as well as preparations containing Salvia miltiorrhiza and Carthamus tinctorius, were reported to improve cardiac function and attenuate oxidative and apoptotic damage. In hepatic I/R injury, Sinomenium acutum, Hypericum perforatum, and Eucommia ulmoides exhibited protective effects, primarily through the suppression of inflammatory responses and lipid peroxidation and the reduction of biochemical markers of hepatic injury. The activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, modulation of NF-κB and MAPK signalling, regulation of the Bcl-2/Bax axis, reduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and preservation of mitochondrial function were among the principal mechanisms proposed to mediate these protective effects.
Conclusion: The available evidence indicates that medicinal plants and herbal preparations may have therapeutic potential for mitigating I/R injury through complementary, multitargeted mechanisms involving oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Nevertheless, the current evidence base remains predominantly preclinical, and substantial gaps persist regarding clinical efficacy, safety, pharmacological dosing, and translational applicability. Well-designed clinical studies are therefore required to determine whether the protective effects observed in experimental models can be reliably translated into effective and safe therapeutic interventions.
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Methods: The literature published between January 2010 and 2026 was searched using PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and the Islamic World Science Citation Center (ISC). The search centred on two principal concepts: medicinal plants and I/R injury. Relevant in vitro, experimental animal, and human studies were considered. Data on the medicinal plant or herbal preparation, experimental model, dosage, type of I/R injury, reported protective effects, and proposed mechanisms were narratively extracted and synthesised.
Results: In cerebral I/R injury, Curcuma longa, Artemisia absinthium, Radix Scrophulariae, Gastrodia elata, Rosa laevigata, Ocimum basilicum, and Ginkgo biloba were associated with reductions in oxidative stress, infarct size, apoptosis, and neurological impairment. In cardiac I/R injury, Hemidesmus indicus, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Desmodium gangeticum, and Aralia elata, as well as preparations containing Salvia miltiorrhiza and Carthamus tinctorius, were reported to improve cardiac function and attenuate oxidative and apoptotic damage. In hepatic I/R injury, Sinomenium acutum, Hypericum perforatum, and Eucommia ulmoides exhibited protective effects, primarily through the suppression of inflammatory responses and lipid peroxidation and the reduction of biochemical markers of hepatic injury. The activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, modulation of NF-κB and MAPK signalling, regulation of the Bcl-2/Bax axis, reduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and preservation of mitochondrial function were among the principal mechanisms proposed to mediate these protective effects.
Conclusion: The available evidence indicates that medicinal plants and herbal preparations may have therapeutic potential for mitigating I/R injury through complementary, multitargeted mechanisms involving oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Nevertheless, the current evidence base remains predominantly preclinical, and substantial gaps persist regarding clinical efficacy, safety, pharmacological dosing, and translational applicability. Well-designed clinical studies are therefore required to determine whether the protective effects observed in experimental models can be reliably translated into effective and safe therapeutic interventions.
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Keywords: Medicinal plants, Ischemia–reperfusion injury, Oxidative stress, Inflammation, Herbal medicine
Type of Study: Review/Systemtic review |
Subject:
Pharmacological
Received: 2026/08/2 | Accepted: 2026/09/9 | Published: 2026/09/28
Received: 2026/08/2 | Accepted: 2026/09/9 | Published: 2026/09/28
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