Across 85 predominantly in vivo experimental studies, natural bioactive compounds—vitamin E, vitamin C, lycopene, coenzyme Q10, resveratrol, and curcumin—consistently demonstrated cardioprotective effects against pesticide-induced damage. Mechanistically, these interventions reduced lipid peroxidation, restored endogenous antioxidant enzyme activity, and modulated inflammatory and apoptotic signaling cascades. Several studies additionally documented measurable improvements in hemodynamic and electrocardiographic parameters, while conventional antidotes like atropine and pralidoxime appeared in only a small minority of included research.
Pesticide cardiovascular toxicity is an underappreciated public health concern, particularly for agricultural workers and populations in regions with heavy agrochemical use. The convergence of multiple compound classes on shared oxidative and inflammatory mechanisms is scientifically coherent—pesticides including organophosphates and pyrethroids are well-documented generators of reactive oxygen species in cardiac tissue. The breadth of compounds showing benefit reinforces antioxidant defense restoration as a central protective axis rather than a compound-specific effect.
However, the translational gap here is substantial. Virtually all evidence is preclinical, meaning rodent or cell-culture models, and effect sizes in animal studies routinely fail to replicate in humans. Dosages used experimentally often far exceed achievable human dietary or supplemental intake. This review is confirmatory and organizational rather than paradigm-shifting—it consolidates scattered preclinical signals but cannot justify clinical recommendations. The priority now is rigorous human exposure-intervention trials, particularly in occupationally exposed cohorts where pesticide cardiotoxicity burden is highest.