Traditional Herbal Remedies for Heart Failure: Therapeutic Efficacy, Mechanisms, and Clinical Integration in Central Asian Medicine
Keywords:
herbal medicine; heart failure; hawthorn; astragalus; Salvia miltiorrhiza; phytotherapy; Central Asia; traditional medicine; clinical efficacyAbstract
Heart failure remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide, with conventional pharmacotherapy offering limited benefits in all patient populations. Traditional herbal medicines have demonstrated significant therapeutic potential through multiple randomized controlled trials. This review synthesizes evidence from 30 peer-reviewed publications (2020–2025) on herbal medicines for heart failure treatment, with emphasis on mechanisms, clinical efficacy, adverse effect profiles, and dosage recommendations. Key herbs including hawthorn (Crataegus spp.), astragalus (Astragalus mongholicus), Salvia miltiorrhiza, and ginseng (Panax notoginseng) showed measurable improvements in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF: 5.62–8.2%), exercise tolerance (6‷0 m improvement in 6-minute walk distance), and neurohormonal markers (BNP/NT-proBNP reduction: 18.5–28.7%). These preparations, when combined with conventional therapy, improved symptom control and reduced hospital admissions. Adverse events were mild and transient. Integration of evidence-based herbal therapeutics with standard care represents a promising complementary approach for heart failure management in Central Asian populations.
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