Review on the potential roles of traditional Chinese medicines in treatment of chronic heart disease associated with vascular calcificationOA

Vascular calcification is closely associated with cardiovascular-related mortality,particularly high-risk of occurring this disease is in patients suffering from hypertension.Vascular calcification involves the active deposition of calcium and other mineral substances in the vascular wall.In blood vessels,intimal calcification is related to atherosclerosis,whereas medial calcification is a non-occlusive process that increases vascular stiffness and reduces vascular compliance.In the valves,calcification of the leaflets can change the mechanical properties of the tissue and result in stenosis.Cardiovascular diseases are being lead significant health risk worldwide and its estimated 30%of deaths.Synthetic drugs can help in the treatment of cardiovascular disease but they have limited efficacy and carry substantial risks.High risk and narrow margin of safety of synthetic drugs growing our interest to explore the different plants with specific medicinal properties in treatment of different cardiovascular disorders including hypertension,atherosclerosis,cardiac arrest and heart failure.Plants like Daucus carota,Nerium oleander,Amaranthus,Terminalia arjuna,and Picrorhiza kurroa contain phytochemicals like tea flavonoids,polyphenols,plant sterols,and terpenoids that can prevent low density lipoprotein cholesterol oxidation,inhibit cholesterol synthesis and promote vasodilation.Researchers has identified many medicinal herbs and their chemical components that show potential in alleviating vascular calcification via antioxidant mechanisms.In this study,we briefly discuss the role of vascular calcification in the pathophysiology of cardiac diseases.Utilizing the efficacy of these natural molecules will lead to the development of new treatment methods for chronic heart disease associated with vascular calcification.