Therapeutic potential of traditional Chinese medicine against atherosclerosis: Targeting trimethylamine N-oxide

Abstract

Background: Recent studies have shown that plasma trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) level is highly correlated with the risk of atherosclerosis (AS), and the elevated level is significantly positively correlated with the incidence of AS.

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to offer a useful summary of the correlation between TMAO and AS, and the effect of herbal monomers, herbal extracts, and formulas on anti-atherosclerosis mediated by TMAO.

Method: The data contained in this article comes from PubMed, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure.

Results: This review discusses the main mechanism of AS induced by TMAO, including endothelial dysfunction, macrophage foaming, platelet reactivity, and cholesterol metabolism, and summarizes 6 herb monomers, 5 herb extracts, and 2 formulas that have been tested for their anti-TMAO activity.

Conclusion: The current understanding of possible ways to reduce TMAO generation is discussed, with the effect and potential of herb monomers, herb extracts, and formulas highlighted.

Keywords: Atherosclerosis; Formulas; Herb extracts; Herb monomers; Mechanism; TMAO.