The molecular mechanism involved inducing cell-cycle arrest in VSMCs via activation of p38mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), which was associated with accumulation of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α—mainly due to inhibition of HIF prolylhydroxylase, a key contributor to proteasomal degradation of HIF-1α—and subsequent induction of HO-1 [155].