Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients from your heart to the rest of your body. Healthy arteries are flexible, strong and elastic. The  hardening of these arteries is called arteriosclerosis. It is a chronic disease characterized by abnormal thickening and hardening of the walls with a resulting loss of elasticity. The major form of arteriosclerosis is atherosclerosis in which plaques of fatty deposits form on the inner walls of the arteries.

When arteries leading to your limbs are affected, you may develop circulation problems in your arms and legs called peripheral arterial disease. When arteries to your heart are affected, you may have coronary artery disease, chest pain (angina) or a heart attack. When arteries supplying blood to your brain are affected, you could have a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke.

Causes

Age: Arteriosclerosis is primarily a disorder of middle and later life. The arteries become less elastic and more susceptible to arteriosclerosis with age.

High Blood Cholesterol in the form of low-density lipoproteins. (High LDL and low HDL) Lipoprotein (a): Lipoprotein (a) is a type of fat-protein molecule that resembles LDL cholesterol but has an additional piece to its structure called apoprotein (a). Lipoprotein (a) is a major component of the plaques found in the blood vessels of arteriosclerosis patients. People with coronary artery disease exhibit elevated lipoprotein (a).

Heredity: Sometimes the problem can run in the family.

Diabetes: Diabetics have twice the risk of strokes, three times the risk of heart attacks and are 50 times more likely to have amputation of a foot for gangrene.

Improper diet - Saturated fats, deep-fried food, too much red meat. A diet rich in sweets, fast food and refined food may lead to arteriosclerosis.

Sedentary lifestyle: A sedentary lifestyle increases risks for developing cardiovascular diseases. Regular exercise improves blood circulation and strengthens the heart.

High stress: High-stress lifestyle increases blood pressure and can place undue pressure on the heart and arteries and weaken the body resistant.

• Headaches
• Dizzy spells
• Ringing of ear
• Memory problems
• Poor concentration
• Mood changes
  

• Aching muscles
• Fatigue
• Cramping pains in the ankles and legs
• Pain in the hips and thighs - May be present depending on which arteries are blocked.

Intermittent claudication: This is the arteriosclerosis in the leg. The principal symptom of this is pain while walking. The pain is relieved during rest. An obstructed artery causes the pain.

The pain is felt in the legs (most often in the calf, but sometimes in the foot, thigh, hip or buttocks). It is brought on by walking and is quickly relieved by rest. Intermittent claudication is typically the first symptom of developing peripheral arteriosclerosis. Additional symptoms include:

• Numbness
• Weakness
• Heavy feeling in the legs

Angina: This occurs when the blood vessels leading to the heart are temporarily blocked. The pain of angina (or chest pain) is the frightening and urgent symptom of arteriosclerosis to many. High blood pressure is often a sign of hardened and narrowed arteries.

Complications  

All people begin to develop some degree of atherosclerosis as they age, and in some people, it leads to complications. Some of these complications are:

• Coronary artery disease -- the blood supply to the heart is insufficient due to atherosclerosis/plaque in the arteries to the heart; a symptom is angina (chest pain)
• Heart attack (myocardial infarction)
• Transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke
• Insufficient blood supply to the limbs (mainly the legs and feet) due to obstruction (claudication)
• Damage to organs
• Atherosclerosis and obstruction of bypass grafts

Treatments

The following are the general recommendations for treating arteriosclerosis:

• Reduce the risk factors for arteriosclerosis by making changes in lifestyle such as giving up smoking (the most important), losing weight, taking regular exercise, drinking alcohol only in moderation, reducing saturated fats in the diet and increasing the amount of fresh fruit and vegetables and complex carbohydrates.

• Drugs maybe used for treatment for high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol

• When these steps fail, surgery such as balloon angioplasty (where a tube is passed down an artery under X-ray guidance and a balloon is blown up to widen a narrowed area) or bypass grafting may be suggested.

• One alternative method is to use ethical herbal formulations as a long-term safer and cheaper alternative.

Herbs can be used to "soften" the blood vessels. Traditional Herbal medicines are proven to be safe; that strives to strengthen the body with a combination of herbs and other therapies. Treatment will vary according to the type of heart disease and the patient's individual characteristics. Look for herbal formulations that contain Panax Notoginseng and Schisandra Chinensis. Research has proved conclusively that Panax Notoginseng can do the following:

• It expands coronary arteries
• It prevents angina pectoris
• It promotes blood circulation
• It increases and protects blood platelets

• It has anti-blood clot effect

• It can reduce cardiac load, lower arterial pressure and improve micro-circulation in and around damaged heart tissue
• It relieves chest pain associated with angina
• It improves heart function
• It has anti-inflammatory effects
• It increases blood circulation in the heart and brain while lowering elevated heart pressure
• It prevents arteriosclerosis and inhibits the progression of arteriosclerosis lesions
• It prevent arrhythmias due to lack of oxygen in the heart (improves heart function)
• It improves memory and reverses dementia by regenerating injured brain cells
• It lowers elevated blood lipids

Traditional practise has used herbs like Polygonum Multiflorum, Panax Notoginseng, Schisandra Chinensis and Saposhnikovia Divaricata for treating heart and liver problems and disease of the circulatory system i.e. cardiovascular diseases.

 Scientific research has showed and proven beyond a shadow of doubt the validity of these beliefs that herbs like Polygonum Multiflorum, Panax Notoginseng, Schisandra Chinensis and Saposhnikovia Divaricata are truly effective for improving liver and heart functions and they are truly longevity herbs. Scientists have proven that these herbs can increase red blood cell productions as well as improving the functions of these cells (erythrocytes).  They have been proven to have the following functions: anti-aging, improve immune system through its antioxidant effect, treat cholesterol problem, retard and treat arteriosclerosis (hardening of blood vessels) protect liver, regulate and nourish blood and improve its circulation, anti-tumor effect, treat breathlessness, treat cardiac insufficiency, treat edema and hypertension.

Herbs can be used to improve the microcirculation within the body to vitalize blood circulation to treat cardiovascular problems as well as liver problems. Below are pictures (from a herbal article written by Dr. Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D., Director, Institute for Traditional Medicine, Portland, Oregon) of such wonderful scientific proof that traditional herbs used to treat such diseases are truly scientific in approach.

Therefore these herbs have traditionally been used for treating the following cardiovascular disease problems holistically and they have been scientifically proven correct:

• For treating high blood pressure

• For treating high cholesterol 

• For rejuvenating blood vessels (arteriosclerosis) 

• For improving blood circulation 

• For cold hands and feet

• For protecting cardiac muscle from ischemic injury (strengthen heart)

• For increasing red blood cells 

• For cancer inhibitive functions (anti-tumor effect)

• For breathlessness

• For anti-fatigue

• For angina

• For cardiac insufficiency

• For improving immunity

Polygonum Multiflorum:

1) Clinical research by western scientists have  proved the anti-arteriosclerosis, hypoglycemic properties, anti-tumor activities and anti-hypertension functions of Polygonum Multiflorum (He Shou Wu). These research were published in scientific papers below.

• Chen F.C. 1987. “Recent Status on Chemical and Pharmacological research on Natural Hypoglycemic Drugs” Chinese Traditional Herbal Drugs 8: 39 – 44.

• Deng W. C. and S.R. Gong 1987 “Progress in research on He Shou Wu” (Polygonum Multiflorum Thumb). Chinese Traditional Herbal Drugs 3:42 – 46 .

• Jiang J.W. 1984 “Achievements in new drugs development from Chinese Herbal Drugs during a 35 year period since the establishment of the Peoples’ Republic”. Chinese Traditional Herbal Drugs 10:1 – 10, 19.

• Li  C.L., 1982 “Research Status on anti-tumor drugs of Plant Origin”. Chinese Pharma Bulletin 2: 19 – 23.

• Song X.P.,  P.P Chen and X. S. Chai 1988. “Effects of puerarin on blood pressure and plasma renin activity in spontaneous hypertensive rating”. Acta  Pharmacol. Sin. 1:55 – 58 (English abstract)

• Wang W and H. D Jin 1984. “Effect of alcoholic extract of prepared Radix Polygonum Multiflorum on preventing arteriosclerosis in Japanese quail”

2) Clinical research by western scientists have shown that Polygonum Multiflorum increases high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, reduce total cholesterol, free cholesterol, triglycerides, retard atherosclerosis, protect the heart, strengthen the membranes of erythrocytes (red blood cells) and has powerful natural antioxidant and free radical scavenger and these have powerful anti-aging benefits in humans. Foster

3) Clinical research by western scientists have shown that the extract of the root of Polygonum multiflorum exhibited a significant antioxidant activity. Research have shown a stilbene glucoside, (E)-2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside (1) as the active constituent responsible for the antioxidant property.  33196

Panax Notoginseng:

1) Clinical research  by western scientists have shown that Panax Notoginseng reduces thrombogenicity (blood clot) and arrhythmias (improves blood and heart function), increases erythrocyte deformability (causes the ability erythrocytes cells to change shape as they pass through narrow spaces, such as the microvasculature i.e. improves blood flow), is an antioxidant, which can counteract free radical damage associated with atherogenesis and myocardial damage seen with ischemia (reduce blood supply) and reperfusion (damage to tissue caused when blood supply returns to the tissue after a period of ischemia) 66054

2) Several studies have shown that notoginsenoides lower elevated blood lipids (cholesterol). Studies have shown that notoginsenoides improve diastolic function in hypertensive subjects, induce the fibrinolytic system in in vitro models and act as antiproliferative agents on vessel leiomyocytes. 01683

3) Clinical research  by western scientists has shown that Panax Notoginseng  increasing the resistance to anoxia (a region of the body where there is complete deprivation of oxygen supply), increase blood circulation in the heart and brain while lowering elevated blood pressure. 18584

4) Clinical research by western scientists has shown that Panax Notoginseng may prevent atherosclerosis and inhibit progression of the atherosclerotic lesions by interfering with the proliferation of arterial smooth muscle cell. 49623

5) Clinical research by western scientists have shown that ginsenosides Rg1 from Panax Notoginseng has estrogen-like activity and should be classified as a novel class of potent phytoestrogen. Ginsenosides have demonstrated pharmacological effects in the central nervous, cardiovascular, and endocrine systems. 61497

6) Clinical research by western scientists have shown that Panax Notoginseng reduce cell damage after heart attack and protect nerve and brain cells from the damage of stroke. Panax Notoginseng improves energy metabolism and preserves the structural integrity of neurons (restore and prevent nerves damage).   01752

7) Experiments and modern clinical trials have shown that Panax notoginseng is immunologically active. Panax notoginseng stimulates macrophages, promotes antibody formation, activates complement and increases T lymphocyte proliferation.  (T lymphocyte: a small lymphocyte developed in the thymus; it orchestrates the immune system's response to infected or malignant cells) and protected animals from liver intoxications. 41992

8) Clinical research by western scientists have shown that Panax Notoginseng has anti-inflammatory effect. 78152

9) Research by western scientist showed that Panax Notoginseng can be used to treat dementia. Research done by: Professor Dr. Jinzhou Tian, Junxiang Yin, Ph.D.; Huan Liu, Ph.D.; Chengzhi Yang, Ph.D.; Jing Shi, Ph.D.; and Yongyan Wang, M.D.

Schisandra Chinensis:

1) Clinical research by western scientists confirmed the validity of the historical use of Schisandra Chinensis, in particular the lignans gomisin A and gomisin N, are hepatoprotective, adaptogenic, and antioxidative agents. 75889

2) Clinical research by western scientists confirmed that Schisandra Chinensis protects the heart against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (damage to the heart tissue caused by reduced blood supply) injury. 48914

3) Clinical research by western scientists confirmed that Schisandra Chinensis have protective effect against oxygen radical induced mitochondrial toxicity on rat heart and liver and is a potent antioxidant activities. It was found that Schisanhenol from Schisandra Chinensis strengthen the heart. 86468

4) Clinical research by western scientists confirmed that Schisandra Chinensis possessed scavenging properties. 72101

5) Clinical research by western scientists from China confirmed the validity of the historical use of Schisandra Chinensis, in particular as a hepatoprotective, adaptogenic, and antioxidative agent and the lignans from this herb is more potent then Vitamin E. The actions of lignans from 7 herbs were compared and research found the lignans, schisanhenol from Schisandra Chinensis was the most active. Clinical research proved the lignans, schisanhenol from Schisandra Chinensis   prevented the decrease of membrane fluidity of liver microsomes and inhibits superoxide anion production (superoxide anion reduce oxygen supporting cellular respiration). 32091

6) Clinical research by western scientists confirmed the validity of the historical use of Schisandra Chinensis, in particular as a hepatoprotective, adaptogenic, and antioxidative agent. It was found the lignans, schisanhenol, increased superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in rat liver cytosol.