New research at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston suggests that ancient Chinese Herbal Formulas used primarily for cardiovascular indications including heart disease may produce large amounts of artery-widening nitric oxide. Findings of the preclinical study by scientists in the University’s Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases appear in the Sept.15 print issue of the journal Free Radical Biology & Medicine.
Nitric oxide is crucial to the cardiovascular system because it signals the inner walls of blood vessels to relax, which facilitates the flow of blood through the heart and circulatory system. The messenger molecule also eliminates dangerous clots, lowers high blood pressure and reduces artery-clogging plaque formation.
The results from this study reveal that ancient Chinese Herbal Formulas “have profound nitric oxide bioactivity primarily through the enhancement of nitric oxide in the inner walls of blood vessels, but also through their ability to convert nitrite and nitrate into nitric oxide,” said Nathan S. Bryan, Ph.D., the study’s senior author.
Herbal Formulas are a major component of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which also includes acupuncture and massage. “Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine, has provided leads to safe medications in cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes,” said C. Thomas Caskey, M.D.. “The opportunity for Dr. Bryan’s work is outstanding given that cardiac disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States.”
In the study, researchers performed laboratory tests on Dan Shen, Gua Lou and other Chinese Herbs to assess their ability to produce nitric oxide. Ancient Chinese Herbal Formulas used primarily for cardiovascular indications are made up of three to 25 individual herbs in a formula. The formulas can be administered as tablets, elixirs, soups and teas.