Comparing Top Traditional Chinese Medicines for Treating Artery Damage

Jim Crocker
14th September, 2024

Comparing Top Traditional Chinese Medicines for Treating Artery Damage

Image Source: Natural Science News, 2024

Key Findings

  • Researchers at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine found that traditional Chinese medicine monomers can reduce artery re-narrowing after procedures like angioplasty
  • TPNS was the most effective monomer in reducing artery thickening in both rat and rabbit models
  • The study highlights the need for further clinical validation to confirm these promising results
A recent study conducted by researchers at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine utilized network meta-analysis (NMA) to evaluate the efficacy of five traditional Chinese medicine monomers in reducing intimal hyperproliferation in arterial balloon injury models[1]. This research is particularly significant in addressing the problem of restenosis, a condition where arteries narrow again after they have been treated with procedures like angioplasty. Restenosis is a major challenge because it can lead to complications such as late in-stent restenosis (ISR) and late stent thrombosis (ST), which significantly impact long-term patient outcomes[2]. The study systematically reviewed literature up to January 2024 from seven major databases, focusing on the intima-to-media (I/M) ratio as the primary outcome measure. The I/M ratio is used to assess the extent of intimal hyperproliferation, which is the thickening of the innermost layer of an artery due to the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and other cellular components[3]. This thickening can lead to the re-narrowing of the artery, posing a significant risk to patients who have undergone procedures to open blocked arteries. A total of 43 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The analysis revealed that in rat models, several traditional Chinese medicine monomers, including GS, ASIV, TMP, and TPNS, showed significant inhibitory effects on postoperative intimal hyperproliferation, thereby reducing the I/M ratio. Specifically, TPNS was found to be the most effective, with a standardized mean difference (SMD) of 1.36 (95% CI: 1.91 to -0.80). In rabbit models, TPNS also demonstrated significant efficacy with an SMD of 1.23 (95% CI: 1.97 to -0.49). These findings are crucial because they suggest that traditional Chinese medicine monomers can effectively mitigate the problem of intimal hyperproliferation, which is a key factor in restenosis. This aligns with earlier findings that highlight the role of VSMCs in atherosclerosis and restenosis. VSMCs can adopt various phenotypes, including those that contribute to plaque stability or instability[3]. The ability of traditional Chinese medicine monomers to inhibit VSMC proliferation and reduce the I/M ratio could therefore be a promising therapeutic avenue. The study also underscores the importance of animal models in understanding the pathophysiology of restenosis. While rodent models are commonly used due to their ease of genetic manipulation and high throughput, they lack a lipid metabolism comparable to humans. Rabbit models, on the other hand, offer a closer approximation to human lipid metabolism and are thus valuable for bridging basic and clinical research[4]. This makes the findings in rabbit models particularly relevant for potential clinical applications. Despite the promising results, the study acknowledges certain limitations. The research on TIIA, one of the traditional Chinese medicine monomers, is insufficient, and the limited sample size may affect the robustness of the results. Additionally, while the majority of research on these monomers is currently at the experimental stage, there is a lack of further clinical validation. Conducting standardized animal experiments and reporting their findings can enhance the quality of evidence from animal studies, laying the groundwork for future clinical trials. In conclusion, this study from Beijing University of Chinese Medicine provides compelling evidence that traditional Chinese medicine monomers, particularly TPNS, can effectively reduce intimal hyperproliferation in arterial balloon injury models. This could have significant implications for the prevention and treatment of restenosis, potentially improving long-term outcomes for patients undergoing procedures like percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)[2]. However, further research and clinical validation are necessary to fully realize the therapeutic potential of these findings.

MedicineHealthBiochem

References

Main Study

1) Comparative efficacy of the five most common traditional Chinese medicine monomers in reducing intimal hyperproliferation in arterial balloon injury models: A network meta-analysis.

Published 15th September, 2024 (future Journal edition)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e36327

Related Studies

2) In Stent Neo-Atherosclerosis: Pathophysiology, Clinical Implications, Prevention, and Therapeutic Approaches.

https://doi.org/10.3390/life12030393

3) Vascular smooth muscle cells in atherosclerosis: time for a re-assessment.

https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/cvab046

4) Animal Models of Neointimal Hyperplasia and Restenosis: Species-Specific Differences and Implications for Translational Research.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacbts.2021.06.006


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