Is L‐Arginine an Appropriate Alternative for Conventional Anti‐Atherosclerotic Therapy?: A Comprehensive Review

ABSTRACT Background Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Historically, the management of atherosclerosis was focused on decreasing lipid profile levels; however, recent evidence demonstrated that platelets and leukocytes play an important role in forming and exacerba...

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Main Authors: Ali Mortezaei, Mohammad Ghorbani, Bardia Hajikarimloo, Omar Sameer, Toba Kazemi, Ebrahim Salavati, Mohsen Hamidpour, Mohammad Esmail Gheydari
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-04-01
Series:Health Science Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.70544
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author Ali Mortezaei
Mohammad Ghorbani
Bardia Hajikarimloo
Omar Sameer
Toba Kazemi
Ebrahim Salavati
Mohsen Hamidpour
Mohammad Esmail Gheydari
author_facet Ali Mortezaei
Mohammad Ghorbani
Bardia Hajikarimloo
Omar Sameer
Toba Kazemi
Ebrahim Salavati
Mohsen Hamidpour
Mohammad Esmail Gheydari
author_sort Ali Mortezaei
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Background Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Historically, the management of atherosclerosis was focused on decreasing lipid profile levels; however, recent evidence demonstrated that platelets and leukocytes play an important role in forming and exacerbating atherosclerosis. L‐arginine (L‐Arg), a precursor to nitric oxide (NO), plays a critical role in modulating oxidative stress and influencing platelet‐leukocyte recruitment and has been extensively addressed in the context of CVD. Objective We aimed to perform a comprehensive literature review on L‐Arg metabolism in the causative pathway of atherosclerosis compared to conventional treatment and it as a putative therapeutic approach. Results L‐Arg supplementation has shown promising effects on NO production, improving endothelial function and reducing oxidative stress in preclinical models. Clinical studies have indicated moderate improvements in vascular health markers, including reductions in inflammation and oxidative stress, although results have varied across studies. The potential of L‐Arg to modify platelet‐leukocyte recruitment and slow the progression of atherosclerotic plaque development has been observed in certain studies. However, these benefits remain inconsistent, and more robust clinical trials are needed to confirm its effectiveness. Additionally, while L‐Arg appears to be relatively safe, some studies reported mild gastrointestinal discomfort as a common side effect. Conclusion L‐Arg holds potential as a complementary or alternative treatment for atherosclerosis, particularly in improving endothelial function and reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. However, the variability in clinical outcomes and the lack of long‐term data required further investigation into assessing therapeutic benefits. Future studies should focus on determining optimal dosing regimens, evaluating their long‐term safety, and assessing their potential in combination with other therapies to enhance cardiovascular outcomes.
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spelling doaj-art-f7b115a91f2f4fbfba9a39e6547cc30f2025-08-20T03:52:29ZengWileyHealth Science Reports2398-88352025-04-0184n/an/a10.1002/hsr2.70544Is L‐Arginine an Appropriate Alternative for Conventional Anti‐Atherosclerotic Therapy?: A Comprehensive ReviewAli Mortezaei0Mohammad Ghorbani1Bardia Hajikarimloo2Omar Sameer3Toba Kazemi4Ebrahim Salavati5Mohsen Hamidpour6Mohammad Esmail Gheydari7Student Research Committee Gonabad University of Medical Sciences Gonabad IranFaculty of Allied Medicine, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences Gonabad University of Medical Sciences Gonabad IranSchool of Medicine Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Tehran IranCollege of Medicine University of Sharjah Sharjah UAECardiovascular Diseases Research Center Birjand University of Medical Sciences Birjand IranAllameh Bohlool Hospital Gonabad University of Medical Sciences Gonabad IranHSC Research Center, Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, School of Allied Medical Sciences Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Tehran IranDepartment of Cardiology, School of Medicine, Taleghani Hospital Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Tehran IranABSTRACT Background Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Historically, the management of atherosclerosis was focused on decreasing lipid profile levels; however, recent evidence demonstrated that platelets and leukocytes play an important role in forming and exacerbating atherosclerosis. L‐arginine (L‐Arg), a precursor to nitric oxide (NO), plays a critical role in modulating oxidative stress and influencing platelet‐leukocyte recruitment and has been extensively addressed in the context of CVD. Objective We aimed to perform a comprehensive literature review on L‐Arg metabolism in the causative pathway of atherosclerosis compared to conventional treatment and it as a putative therapeutic approach. Results L‐Arg supplementation has shown promising effects on NO production, improving endothelial function and reducing oxidative stress in preclinical models. Clinical studies have indicated moderate improvements in vascular health markers, including reductions in inflammation and oxidative stress, although results have varied across studies. The potential of L‐Arg to modify platelet‐leukocyte recruitment and slow the progression of atherosclerotic plaque development has been observed in certain studies. However, these benefits remain inconsistent, and more robust clinical trials are needed to confirm its effectiveness. Additionally, while L‐Arg appears to be relatively safe, some studies reported mild gastrointestinal discomfort as a common side effect. Conclusion L‐Arg holds potential as a complementary or alternative treatment for atherosclerosis, particularly in improving endothelial function and reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. However, the variability in clinical outcomes and the lack of long‐term data required further investigation into assessing therapeutic benefits. Future studies should focus on determining optimal dosing regimens, evaluating their long‐term safety, and assessing their potential in combination with other therapies to enhance cardiovascular outcomes.https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.70544cardiologyneurologypathology and laboratory medicine
spellingShingle Ali Mortezaei
Mohammad Ghorbani
Bardia Hajikarimloo
Omar Sameer
Toba Kazemi
Ebrahim Salavati
Mohsen Hamidpour
Mohammad Esmail Gheydari
Is L‐Arginine an Appropriate Alternative for Conventional Anti‐Atherosclerotic Therapy?: A Comprehensive Review
Health Science Reports
cardiology
neurology
pathology and laboratory medicine
title Is L‐Arginine an Appropriate Alternative for Conventional Anti‐Atherosclerotic Therapy?: A Comprehensive Review
title_full Is L‐Arginine an Appropriate Alternative for Conventional Anti‐Atherosclerotic Therapy?: A Comprehensive Review
title_fullStr Is L‐Arginine an Appropriate Alternative for Conventional Anti‐Atherosclerotic Therapy?: A Comprehensive Review
title_full_unstemmed Is L‐Arginine an Appropriate Alternative for Conventional Anti‐Atherosclerotic Therapy?: A Comprehensive Review
title_short Is L‐Arginine an Appropriate Alternative for Conventional Anti‐Atherosclerotic Therapy?: A Comprehensive Review
title_sort is l arginine an appropriate alternative for conventional anti atherosclerotic therapy a comprehensive review
topic cardiology
neurology
pathology and laboratory medicine
url https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.70544
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