Mechanism of platelet activation and potential therapeutic effects of natural drugs

Background: Cardiovascular disease is one of the most concerning chronic diseases in the world. Many studies have shown that platelet overactivation is a very important factor in the occurrence and development of cardiovascular diseases. At present, the widely used antiplatelet drugs have some defects, such as drug resistance and adverse reactions. Purpose: The purpose of this article is to summarize the main mechanisms and pathways of platelet activation, the main targets of antiplatelet aggregation, and the antiplatelet aggregation components of natural drugs and their mechanisms of action to provide new research ideas for the development and application of antiplatelet drugs. Study design and Methods: In this review, we systematically searched the PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and CNKI databases and selected studies based on predefined eligibility criteria. We then assessed their quality and extracted data. Results: ADP, AA, THR, AF, collagen, SDF-1 alpha, and Ca2+ can induce platelet aggregation and trigger thrombosis. Natural drugs have a good inhibitory effect on platelet activation. More than 50 kinds of natural drugs and over 120 kinds of chemical compounds, including flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, terpenoids, coumarins, and organic acids, have significantly inhibited platelet activation activity. The MAPK pathway, cGMP-PKG pathway, cAMP-PKA pathway, PI3K-AKT pathway, PTK pathway, PLC pathway, and AA pathway are the main mechanisms and pathways of platelet activation. Conclusion: Natural drugs and their active ingredients have shown good activity and application prospects in antiplatelet aggregation. We hope that this review provides new research ideas for the development and application of antiplatelet drugs.