Potential protective effects of phytoestrogens in vascular disease. Increased vascular tone and blood pressure cause hypertension, leading to vascular injury, inflammatory cell infiltration, lipid deposition, atherosclerosis, narrowing of vessel lumen and platelets aggregation. Phytoestrogens promote vasodilation and may ameliorate hypertension. Phytoestrogens could also reduce vascular permeability, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and inflammatory cell infiltration. Phytoestrogens may also retard the progress of atherosclerosis by improving lipid profile, and reduce thromboembolism by decreasing platelets aggregation.