Targeted intervention of natural medicinal active ingredients and traditional Chinese medicine on epigenetic modification: Possible strategies for prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis

Wei Wang; Han Li; Ying Shi; Jing Zhou; Ghulam Jilany Khan; Juan Zhu; Fawang Liu; Hong Duan; Lili Li; Kefeng Zhai

doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2023.155139

Targeted intervention of natural medicinal active ingredients and traditional Chinese medicine on epigenetic modification: Possible strategies for prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis

Phytomedicine. 2024 Jan:122:155139. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.155139. Epub 2023 Oct 6.

Authors

Wei Wang¹, Han Li¹, Ying Shi¹, Jing Zhou¹, Ghulam Jilany Khan², Juan Zhu³, Fawang Liu⁴, Hong Duan⁵, Lili Li⁶, Kefeng Zhai⁷

Affiliations

¹ School of Biological and Food Engineering, Engineering Research Center for Development and High Value Utilization of Genuine Medicinal Materials in North Anhui Province, Suzhou University, Suzhou, Anhui 234000, China; College of Biological and Food Engineering, Anhui Polytechnic University, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, China.
² Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Central Punjab, Lahore 54000, Pakistan.
³ School of Biological and Food Engineering, Engineering Research Center for Development and High Value Utilization of Genuine Medicinal Materials in North Anhui Province, Suzhou University, Suzhou, Anhui 234000, China; Faculty of Pharmacy, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui 233030, China.
⁴ School of Biological and Food Engineering, Engineering Research Center for Development and High Value Utilization of Genuine Medicinal Materials in North Anhui Province, Suzhou University, Suzhou, Anhui 234000, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Research & Development of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui 230012, China.
⁵ School of Biological and Food Engineering, Engineering Research Center for Development and High Value Utilization of Genuine Medicinal Materials in North Anhui Province, Suzhou University, Suzhou, Anhui 234000, China; College of Biological and Food Engineering, Anhui Polytechnic University, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, China. Electronic address: szxydh@163.com.
⁶ General Clinical Research Center, Anhui Wanbei Coal-Electricity Group General Hospital, Suzhou 234000, China. Electronic address: lilili07@163.com.
⁷ School of Biological and Food Engineering, Engineering Research Center for Development and High Value Utilization of Genuine Medicinal Materials in North Anhui Province, Suzhou University, Suzhou, Anhui 234000, China; College of Biological and Food Engineering, Anhui Polytechnic University, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, China; Faculty of Pharmacy, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui 233030, China. Electronic address: kefengzhai@163.com.

PMID: 37863003
DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.155139

Abstract

Background: Atherosclerosis is a deadly consequence of cardiovascular disease and has very high mortality rate worldwide. The epigenetic modifications can regulate the pervasiveness and progression of atherosclerosis through its involvement in regulation of inflammation, oxidative stress, lipid metabolism and several other factors. Specific non-coding RNAs, DNA methylation, and histone modifications are key regulatory factors of atherosclerosis. Natural products from traditional Chinese medicine have shown promising therapeutic potential against atherosclerosis by means of regulating the expression of specific genes, stabilizing arterial plaques and protecting vascular endothelial cells.

Objective: Our study is focusing to explore the pathophysiology and probability of traditional Chinese medicine and natural medicinal active ingredients to treat atherosclerosis.

Methods: Comprehensive literature review was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar and China National Knowledge Infrastructure with a core focus on natural medicinal active ingredients and traditional Chinese medicine prying in epigenetic modification related to atherosclerosis.

Results: Accumulated evidence demonstrated that natural medicinal active ingredients and traditional Chinese medicine have been widely studied as substances that can regulate epigenetic modification. They can participate in the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis through inflammation, oxidative stress, lipid metabolism, cell proliferation and migration, macrophage polarization and autophagy respectively.

Conclusion: The function of natural medicinal active ingredients and traditional Chinese medicine in regulating epigenetic modification may provide a new potential strategy for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis. However, more extensive research is essential to determine the potential of these natural medicinal active ingredients to treat atherosclerosis because of least clinical data.

Keywords: Atherosclerosis; Epigenetic modification; Natural medicinal active ingredients; Traditional Chinese medicine.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Atherosclerosis* / drug therapy
Atherosclerosis* / prevention & control
Drugs, Chinese Herbal* / pharmacology
Drugs, Chinese Herbal* / therapeutic use
Endothelial Cells
Epigenesis, Genetic
Humans
Inflammation / drug therapy
Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Substances

Drugs, Chinese Herbal