Targeting cardiovascular immunometabolism with phytomedicines: an emerging therapeutic technique
- 1Patanjali Herbal Research Department, Patanjali Research Foundation
- 2Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gurukula Kangri (Deemed to be University)
Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) continue to be leading causes of morbidity and death globally, with chronic inflammation contributing to disease progression and residual cardiovascular risk despite breakthroughs in conventional treatment. Immunometabolism, defined as the bidirectional connection of cellular metabolism and immune-cell activity, is an emerging approach for understanding the relationship between metabolic failure and cardiovascular inflammation. Several regulatory pathways, such as AMPK, mTOR, NLRP3, SIRT1, and NRF2, have been linked to metabolic and inflammatory responses in CVD. This review critically assesses the molecular evidence relating these pathways to CVD and investigates the potential for specific phytochemicals and phytomedicines to modify cardiovascular immunometabolism. Curcumin, resveratrol, berberine, quercetin, and andrographolide have all been shown to have pathway-specific effects in cellular and animal models of inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, macrophage responses, and endothelial dysfunction. However, mechanistic activity should not be confused with demonstrated cardiovascular therapeutic effectiveness. Poor bioavailability, phytochemical variability, insufficient standardisation, pharmacokinetic uncertainty, possible herb-drug interactions, and a lack of sufficiently powered randomised clinical studies continue to impede translation. Future research should focus on standardised formulations, mechanistic validation in relevant cardiovascular models, pharmacokinetic and safety characterisation, and well-designed clinical trials combining immunometabolic biomarkers. The integration of multi-omics, systems pharmacology, nanophytomedicine, and computational techniques may help to advance evidence-based phytopharmaceutical development.
Related
- Mechanosensitive Non-Coding RNAs in Cardiovascular Disease: Mechanisms, Therapeutic Targeting and Cardiac Delivery
- Macrophages and immunometabolism in diminished ovarian reserve: pathological features and therapeutic implications.
- B Cells and Tumor Immunometabolism: Emerging Insights into Immune Regulation and Therapeutic Resistance
- OP–050 The mutual storytelling technique as a therapeutic communication intervention in a child with febrile seizure: a case report
- Cancer Outcomes in Cardiovascular Trials of Inflammation-Targeting Therapeutics
BibTeX
@article{balkrishna2026targeting,
title = {{Targeting cardiovascular immunometabolism with phytomedicines: an emerging therapeutic technique}},
author = {Acharya Balkrishna and Shalini Mishra and Maneesha Rana and Vedpriya Arya and Shalini Singh},
journal = {Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fcvm.2026.1941655},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcvm.2026.1941655/full},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Targeting cardiovascular immunometabolism with phytomedicines: an emerging therapeutic technique
AU - Acharya Balkrishna
AU - Shalini Mishra
AU - Maneesha Rana
AU - Vedpriya Arya
AU - Shalini Singh
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/29
JO - Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine
DO - 10.3389/fcvm.2026.1941655
UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcvm.2026.1941655/full
AB - Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) continue to be leading causes of morbidity and death globally, with chronic inflammation contributing to disease progression and residual cardiovascular risk despite breakthroughs in conventional treatment. Immunometabolism, defined as the bidirectional connection of cellular metabolism and immune-cell activity, is an emerging approach for understanding the relationship between metabolic failure and cardiovascular inflammation. Several regulatory pathways, such as AMPK, mTOR, NLRP3, SIRT1, and NRF2, have been linked to metabolic and inflammatory responses in CVD. This review critically assesses the molecular evidence relating these pathways to CVD and investigates the potential for specific phytochemicals and phytomedicines to modify cardiovascular immunometabolism. Curcumin, resveratrol, berberine, quercetin, and andrographolide have all been shown to have pathway-specific effects in cellular and animal models of inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, macrophage responses, and endothelial dysfunction. However, mechanistic activity should not be confused with demonstrated cardiovascular therapeutic effectiveness. Poor bioavailability, phytochemical variability, insufficient standardisation, pharmacokinetic uncertainty, possible herb-drug interactions, and a lack of sufficiently powered randomised clinical studies continue to impede translation. Future research should focus on standardised formulations, mechanistic validation in relevant cardiovascular models, pharmacokinetic and safety characterisation, and well-designed clinical trials combining immunometabolic biomarkers. The integration of multi-omics, systems pharmacology, nanophytomedicine, and computational techniques may help to advance evidence-based phytopharmaceutical development.
SN - 2297-055X
ER -