Cardiovascular-Protective Effects of Herbal Medicine Danshen-Gegen

Summary

Atherosclerosis (in particular stroke and heart attack) is the most important health issue in modernized society and high blood pressure is an important predisposing factor. Hypertensive subjects with other chronic disease such as diabetes mellitus or impaired renal function are particularly vulnerable to these atherosclerotic complications in spite of standard antihypertensive therapies. Danshen and Gegen are commonly used in Chinese materia medica as treatment for cardiac symptoms and atherosclerosis-related disorders. The objective of this study is to test Danshen and Gegen as an cardiovascular-protective adjunctive regimen to prevent high-risk hypertensive cohort from primary atherosclerosis.

Timeline

Start

2006-01

Primary completion

2008-05

Completion

2008-05

Publications

• Background Bots ML, Hoes AW, Koudstaal PJ, Hofman A, Grobbee DE. Common carotid intima-media thickness and risk of stroke and myocardial infarction: the Rotterdam Study. Circulation. 1997 Sep 2;96(5):1432-7. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.96.5.1432.
• Background O'Leary DH, Polak JF, Kronmal RA, Manolio TA, Burke GL, Wolfson SK Jr. Carotid-artery intima and media thickness as a risk factor for myocardial infarction and stroke in older adults. Cardiovascular Health Study Collaborative Research Group. N Engl J Med. 1999 Jan 7;340(1):14-22. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199901073400103.
• Background Woo KS, Chook P, Raitakari OT, McQuillan B, Feng JZ, Celermajer DS. Westernization of Chinese adults and increased subclinical atherosclerosis. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 1999 Oct;19(10):2487-93. doi: 10.1161/01.atv.19.10.2487.
• Background Sieveking DP, Woo KS, Fung KP, Lundman P, Nakhla S, Celermajer DS. Chinese herbs Danshen and Gegen modulate key early atherogenic events in vitro. Int J Cardiol. 2005 Oct 20;105(1):40-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2004.10.052.

Drugs

Indications