Potential Effects of Natural H2 S-Donors in Hypertension Management

After the discovery of hydrogen sulfide (H2 S) in the central nervous system by Abe and Kimura in 1996, the physiopathological role of H2 S has been widely investigated in several systems such as the cardiovascular. In particular, H2 S plays a pivotal role in the control of vascular tone, exhibiting mechanisms of action able to induce vasodilation: for instance, activation of potassium channels (KATP and Kv7) and inhibition of 5-phosphodiesterase (5-PDE). These findings paved the way for the research of natural and synthetic exogenous H2 S-donors (i.e., molecules able to release H2 S) in order to have new tools for the management of hypertension. In this scenario, some natural molecules derived from Alliaceae (i.e., garlic) and Brassicaceae (i.e., rocket or broccoli) botanical families show the profile of slow H2 S-donors able to mimic the endogenous production of this gasotransmitter and therefore can be viewed as interesting potential tools for management of hypertension or prehypertension. In this article, the preclinical and clinical impacts of these natural H2 S-donors on hypertension and vascular integrity have been reviewed in order to give a complete panorama of their potential use for the management of hypertension and related vascular diseases.