Plant products as an alternative phytotherapeutics to regulate thrombosis – A review

Abstract

Thrombosis, a life-threatening disease causes thrombus formation within blood vessels to obstruct the flow of blood through vascular system. The disease causes morbidity and mortality of arterial and venous thrombosis which can result in acute infraction and deep vein thrombosis. Majority of clotting factors are serine proteases and are present as precursors of proteolytic enzymes known as zymogens that circulate in inactivated forms but get activated in response to injury in blood vessels. The serine proteases are involved in coagulation, anticoagulation, and fibrinolysis. Thrombin and fibrin are the main key therapeutic target for the treatment of thrombosis. Commercially available antithrombotic and thrombolytic drugs are known to be associated with serious side effects like bleeding, hypertension, and haemorrhage therefore natural products have been suggested as best replacement of synthetic antithrombotic and thrombolytic drugs with less side effects for human health. Plants have been suggested as potential source of anticoagulants against thrombosis with fewer or no side effects.