According to the World Health Organization, the leading cause of death is coronary heart disease, which accounted for 7.4 million deaths in 2013, or one third of all deaths (Kelly et al., 2012; van Halewijn et al., 2017; Yang et al., 2017). By 2021, CHD, the most serious and pervasive threat to human life, is expected to continue (Kaur et al., 2008). The multifactorial nature of heart disease involves complex interactions between physiological, genetic, and environmental factors (Ahmad and Bhopal, 2005). It is multifactorial and requires complex interactions between physiology and genetics.
In previous studies, diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking and hyperlipidemia have all been linked to oxidative stress, including traditional risk factors for coronary heart disease. Although oxidative stress has been associated with the development of coronary artery disease (CAD) (Juni et al., 2013), several studies have investigated markers of oxidative stress (OS) and found that they can predict the evolution of CHD. OS is one of the risk factors for CAD and has been shown to affect prognosis and survival in CAD patients (Juni et al., 2013; Li et al., 2018).
Various animal models of atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease have shown that the development of oxidative stress is closely related. If the antioxidant system's ability to reduce reactive oxygen species and other free radicals is insufficient, it may experience oxidative stress. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been shown to cause damage to DNA and proteins at the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and protein levels, and if oxidative stress occurs, can impair the structure and function of the cardiovascular system (Lubos et al., 2011). ROS levels were elevated in CAD patients.
Mediated apoptosis of mitochondria in cells and smooth muscle is induced by the production of excess ROS in endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells, resulting in an imbalance between the cells' antioxidant capacity and the surrounding pro-oxidant capacity, which promotes and increases the development of coronary heart disease (Tullio et al., 2013; Zhang et al., 2015). The three most important antioxidant systems in the body are SOD, catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), which together protect the body from damage.
In addition, many molecular antioxidants, including beta-carotene, ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol, and reduced glutathione (GSH), are essential for human health (Leopold, 2015). Antioxidant therapy effectively reduces the risk of coronary heart disease (Willcox et al., 2008). Records of oxidation status in hospitalized patients are often inadequate, and specific antioxidants are rarely prescribed, affecting the effectiveness of treatment. On the other hand, China has a long and distinguished history of traditional Chinese medicine, dating back thousands of years, which is becoming increasingly popular worldwide, especially in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases (Wang et al., 2018a). Many Chinese herbal extracts have been found to have antioxidant effects (LI et al., 2011). These extracts have been shown to be effective in preventing the development of cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the source, action, mechanism and current practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Cardiovascular Disease by regulating different pathways.
