The Role of Anthocyanins in Cardiovascular Health: A Review

Abstract: Anthocyanins are natural polyphenols found in various fruits and vegetables, offering numerous health benefits. Clinical studies suggest that anthocyanin supplementation may regulate blood pressure, improve lipid profiles, reduce triglycerides (TG), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), cytokines, and platelet aggregation, while also reducing arterial stiffness. The multiple pathways, including the downregulation of proinflammatory markers and suppression of the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) pathway, prevention of lipoprotein oxidation, enhancement of nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability, improvement of endothelial function, and modulation of the gut microbiota, collectively contribute to managing cardiac health. However, some clinical studies have found no significant positive impact of anthocyanins on cardiovascular disease, possibly due to the varied form, stability, dosage, and study duration. Therefore, future research should investigate anthocyanin stability, establish standardised therapeutic strategies, and conduct large-scale longitudinal studies to elucidate the impact of anthocyanin consumption on cardiovascular health and quality of life.