The use of terpenes and derivatives as a new perspective for cardiovascular disease treatment: a patent review (2008–2018)

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Terpenes are a class of secondary metabolites that can be found in a variety of animal and plants species. They are considered the most structurally diversified and abundant of all natural compounds. Several studies have shown the application of terpenes, such as carvacrol, linalool, and limonene in many pharmaceutical and medicinal fields, including cardiovascular disorders, the leading cause of death worldwide. Areas covered: In this review, the authors outlined patents from the last 10 years relating to the therapeutic application of terpenes for the treatment and/or prevention of cardiovascular diseases found in different databases, emphasizing the possibility of these compounds becoming new drugs that may help to decrease the burden of these disorders. Expert opinion: There has been a growing awareness over recent years of the therapeutic use of terpenes and their derivatives as new pharmaceutical products. Patents involving the use of terpenes have been especially important in the technological development of new strategies for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases by bringing new scientific knowledge into the pharmaceutical industry. Therefore, the development of biotechnologies using natural products should be encouraged in order to increase the variety of drugs available for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

KEYWORDS:

• Cardiovascular agents
• pharmaceutical preparation
• terpenes
• terpenoid

Article highlights

• The knowledge of compounds containing terpenes or their derivatives in relation to the treatment of cardiovascular diseases has increased over the last 10 years;

• Due to the burden of cardiovascular disorders, natural products should continue to be a major resource for new pharmaceutical drugs;

• Traditional medicine plays an important role in the identification of compounds with potential pharmacological effects;

• More clinical studies are necessary to provide evidence that these compounds can control cardiovascular disorders;

• With the growing scientific and industrial interest in these new drugs, it is probable that some of these new compounds may be available in the market soon.

This box summarizes key points contained in the article.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Paul Davis for the grammar review of the manuscript.

Declaration of interest

EA Pereira da Silva is a fellow at CAPES. LJ Quintans-Junior is a researcher with UFS/SE/Brazil, has projects funded by FAPITEC/SE and CNPq and holds a scholarship with CNPq research productivity-1C level-CA FR-Pharmacyl. JS Carvalho is a fellow at CNPq/Brazil. RSS Barreto is a researcher with UFS/SE/Brazil and has projects funded by CNPq. AG Guimaraes and MRV Santos are researchers with UFS/SE/Brazil and have projects funded by FAPITEC/SE and CNPq. AS Barreto is a researcher with UFS/SE/Brazil. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

The authors were supported by grants from CAPES/Brazil and CNPq/Brazil.