The Role of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Regulation of Oxidative Stress in Treating Coronary Heart Disease

Oxidative stress has been closely related with coronary artery disease. In coronary heart disease (CHD), an excess of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production generates endothelial cell and smooth muscle functional disorders, leading to a disequilibrium between the antioxidant capacity and prooxidants. ROS also leads to inflammatory signal activation and mitochondria-mediated apoptosis, which can promote and increase the occurrence and development of CHD. There are several kinds of antioxidative and small molecular systems of antioxidants, such as beta-carotene, ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol, and reduced glutathione (GSH). Studies have shown that antioxidant treatment was effective and decreased the risk of CHD, but the effect of the treatment varies greatly. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been utilized for thousands of years in China and is becoming increasingly popular all over the world, especially for the treatments of cardiovascular diseases. This review will concentrate on the evidence of the action mechanism of TCM in preventing CHD by modulating oxidative stress-related signaling pathways.