Biological active ingredients of Astragali Radix and its mechanisms in treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases

Man Li; Bing Han; Huan Zhao; Chongyi Xu; Daokun Xu; Elwira Sieniawska; Xianming Lin; Guoyin Kai

doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153918

Biological active ingredients of Astragali Radix and its mechanisms in treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases

Phytomedicine. 2022 Apr:98:153918. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153918. Epub 2022 Jan 8.

Authors

Man Li¹, Bing Han¹, Huan Zhao¹, Chongyi Xu², Daokun Xu², Elwira Sieniawska³, Xianming Lin⁴, Guoyin Kai⁵

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory for Core Technology of TCM Quality Improvement and Transformation, The Third Affiliated Hospital, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Academy of Chinese Medical Science, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310053, China.
² Wenling Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Taizhou, Zhejiang, 317500, China.
³ Department of Natural Products Chemistry, Medical University of Lublin, Chodzki 1, 20-093 Lublin, Poland.
⁴ Laboratory for Core Technology of TCM Quality Improvement and Transformation, The Third Affiliated Hospital, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Academy of Chinese Medical Science, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310053, China. Electronic address: linxianming66@126.com.
⁵ Laboratory for Core Technology of TCM Quality Improvement and Transformation, The Third Affiliated Hospital, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Academy of Chinese Medical Science, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310053, China. Electronic address: kaiguoyin@163.com.

PMID: 35104756
DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153918

Abstract

Background: With the rising age of the global population, the incidence rate of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (CCVDs) is increasing, which causes serious public health burden. The efforts for new therapeutic approaches are still being sought since the treatment effects of existing therapies are not quite satisfactory. Chinese traditional medicine proved to be very efficient in the treatment of CCVDs. Well described and established in Chinese medicine, Astragali Radix, has been commonly administered in the prophylaxis and cure of CCVDs for thousands of years.

Purpose: This review summarized the action mode and mechanisms of Astragali Radix phytochemicals on CCVDs, hoping to provide valuable information for the future application, development and improvement of Astragali Radix as well as CCVDs treatment.

Methods: A plenty of literature on biological active ingredients of Astragali Radix used for CCVDs treatment were retrieved from online electronic PubMed and Web of Science databases.

Results: This review highlighted the effects of five main active components in Astragali Radix including astragaloside Ⅳ, cycloastragenol, astragalus polysaccharide, calycosin-7-O-β-d-glucoside, and calycosin on CCVDs. The mechanisms mainly involved anti-oxidative damage, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic through signaling pathways such as PI3K/Akt, Nrf2/HO-1, and TLR4/NF-κB pathway. In addition, the majority active constituents in AR have no obvious toxic side effects.

Conclusion: The main active components of Astragali Radix, especially AS-IV, have been extensively summarized. It has been proved that Astragali Radix has obvious therapeutic effects on various CCVDs, including myocardial and cerebral ischemia, hypertension, atherosclerosis, cardiac hypertrophy, chronic heart failure. CAG possesses anti-ischemia activity without toxicity, indicating a worthy of further development. However, high-quality clinical and pharmacokinetic studies are required to validate the current studies.

Keywords: Astragali radix; Cardiovascular diseases; Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury; Pharmacokinetics; Pharmacology.

Publication types

Review