Cardiovascular Diseases

Ferid Murad, Ka Bian, Atta-ur-Rahman, Ferid Murad, Ka Bian, Atta-ur-Rahman

• Publisher: Bentham Science Publishers
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN: 9781681084909
• eBook ISBN: 9781681084893
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: Cardiology

Herbal Medicine: Back to the Future compiles expert reviews on the application of herbal medicines (including Ayurveda, Chinese traditional medicines and alternative therapies) to treat different ailments. The book series demonstrates the use of sophisticated methods to understand traditional medicine, while providing readers a glimpse into the future of herbal medicine. This volume presents reviews of traditional Chinese medicine and other nutritional therapies useful for treating cardiovascular diseases, including:
cardiovascular benefits of the European Olive and bottle gourd
a review of the cardiovascular benefits of Naoxintong
herbal and micronutrient supplements for cardiovascular disease patients
herbal remedies for atherosclerosis
cardio-protective alkaloids This volume is essential reading for all researchers in the field of natural product chemistry and pharmacology. Medical professionals involved in cardiovascular care who seek to improve their knowledge about herbal medicine and alternative therapies will also benefit from the contents of the volume.

Herbal Remedies for Atherosclerosis: From Back to the Future

Roodabeh Bahramsoltani¹, Mohammad Hosein Farzaei^{2, 3}, Roja Rahimi^{1, *}

¹ Department of Traditional Pharmacy, School of Traditional Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

² Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran

³ Medical Biology Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran

Abstract

Cardiovascular disorders are the most important reason of mortality all over the world. Atherosclerosis is the inflammation of the blood vessels, especially large muscular arteries, which is caused by a series of pathological conditions including hyperlipidemia, hypertension, some types of infection and diabetes mellitus. Despite the available chemical drugs to manage the disease, researchers are widely working on other approaches like herbal medicine for the management of atherosclerosis. Alone or as complementary therapy with chemical drugs, medicinal plants have shown beneficial effects for primary or secondary prevention of cardiovascular problems. In this chapter, we firstly introduce herbal remedies traditionally used for the treatment of atherosclerosis-associated disorders in ethnomedicine of different nations throughout the world, and then we discuss clinical evidence on the most relevant medicinal plants as well as the isolated phytochemicals used for the management of atherosclerosis.

Keywords: Atherosclerosis, Clinical Trial, Endothelial Dysfunction, Ethno-pharmacology, Herbal Medicine, Hypercholesterolemia, Hyperlipidemia, Hyper-tension, Meta-Analysis, Medicinal Plant, Phytochemical, Type II Diabetes.

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^* Correspondence author Roja Rahimi: Department of Traditional Pharmacy, School of Traditional Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Postal Code: 1417653761, Iran; Tel/Fax: [phone]; E-mail: [email protected]

INTRODUCTION

Modern life style along with unhealthy western diet has switched the old pattern of life-threatening diseases from infections to chronic metabolic and internal disorders. Cardiovascular disorders are ranked as the first leading cause of death in most countries around the world [1]. Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory condition within the blood vessels as a result of impaired plasma lipid profile,

specifically low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). In physiologic condition, endothelial cells of blood vessels have anti-coagulant properties which provide a normal blood flow. Some risk factors including high levels of plasma cholesterol induce pathologic pro-coagulant activity within the intima of the vessels which is known as endothelial dysfunction [2]. Endothelial dysfunction results in the elevation of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), P-selectin, E-selectin, and soluble adhesion molecules in blood which stimulate the adhesion of leukocytes to intima [3]. Increased adhesion of platelets and white cells to the endothelium results in an inflammatory response which causes smooth muscle cells proliferation. In early stages, the vessel starts a remodeling process, meaning an enlargement in the damaged area. However, chronic inflammatory condition finally makes the mass of lipid precipitants, leukocytes, and damaged vessel cells form a barrier inside the vessel which prevents normal blood flow. Other than hypercholesterolemia, risk factors including hypertension (HTN), diabetes, obesity, and infection can stimulate the process of cholesterol accumulation, smooth muscle hypertrophy and atherosclerosis [2]. The lipid aggregation usually occurs in muscular arteries like aorta as well as trileaflet aortic valve [4], coronary arteries [5] and cranial arteries which can finally result in stroke and infarctions [2].

Since ancient times, cardiovascular diseases were an interesting field of research and practice for physicians. Asclepiades (129 - 40 BC) described atherosclerosis as inflammation within some parts of heart which is in agreement with today’s pathology of the disease. Hippocrates (460 - 375 BC) has mentioned obesity and bad eating habits as risk factors for vascular disorders [6]. Avicenna, the ...

Table of contents

• Welcome
• Table of Contents
• Title Page
• BENTHAM SCIENCE PUBLISHERS LTD.
• PREFACE
• List of Contributors
• Chinese Herbal Formula Naoxintong and Cardiovascular Protection
• Lagenaria siceraria (Bottle Gourd) in Various Cardiovascular Complications
• Olea Europaea L.: Facts and Myths Regarding Cardiovascular Health
• Herbal Therapies and Micronutrient Supplements in Cardiovascular Disease
• Herbal Remedies for Atherosclerosis: From Back to the Future
• Current Topics in Herbal Medicine with Applications in Cardiovascular Diseases
• Cardioprotective Plant Alkaloids: Ethnopharma-cology, Structure Activity Relationship and Synthetic Analogues