Myocardial infarction is a sudden and fatal disease that causes a significant
number of deaths in the world. The current treatment strategy for MI is only for
symptomatic relief and cannot cure or reverse the disease condition. Hence, there is a
need to identify novel, definitive, and minimal toxic drugs to treat MI. Phytochemicals
always draw attention as an alternative and upgraded choice to combat various
ailments. Photochemical compounds are non-nutritive biologically active secondary
metabolites abundantly found in plants. Andrographolide and its derivatives obtained
from a medicinal herb, Andrographis paniculata, are broadly utilized in traditional
medicinal systems to treat various diseases, including cardiovascular diseases. In the
present chapter, we explore andrographolide and its derivatives for its cardioprotective
potential both in vitro and in vivo. Andrographolides show their cardioprotective
potential by demonstrating multiple mechanisms, including ERK1/2 inhibition
associated with anti-platelet action, PI3K/Akt pathway-associated inflammation
inhibition, and activation of Nrf-2/HO-1pathway-associated antioxidant mechanism.
Cardioprotection of andrographolide and its derivatives are shown by various animal
models' anti-arrhythmic, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant mechanisms. In this way, andrographolide and its derivatives can offer a better choice for
developing a novel therapeutic molecule for myocardial infarction.
Keywords: Andrographolide, Antioxidant, Cardioprotection, Myocardial infarction, Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf-2).