title: Cardiovascular actions and therapeutic potential of tanshinone IIA.
abstract: Tanshinone IIA (TS), a pharmacologically active component isolated from the rhizome of the Chinese herb Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Danshen), has been clinically used in Asian countries for the prevention and treatment of coronary heart disease. Recently, the pharmacological properties of TS in the cardiovascular system have attracted great interest. Emerging experimental studies and clinical trials have demonstrated that TS prevents atherogenesis as well as cardiac injury and hypertrophy. In atherosclerosis, TS acts by inhibiting LDL oxidation, monocyte adhesion to endothelium, smooth muscle cell migration and proliferation, macrophage cholesterol accumulation, proinflammatory cytokine expression and platelet aggregation. TS has some activity and potential to stabilize atherosclerotic plaques. The cardioprotective effects of TS are mainly related to its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory actions. In this review, we focus on the protective effects and the mechanism of action of TS in the cardiovascular system, and provide a novel perspective on clinical use of TS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Higher Education Mega Center, 132# East Wai-huan Road, Guangzhou 510006, PR China.
authors.forename: Si
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Zhiping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Little
authors.forename: Peiqing
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Suowen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D045784:Abietanes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D045784:Abietanes; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; C021751:tanshinone