Medicinal Plant Research 2025, Vol.15, No.5, 214-223 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/mpr 215 Cerebral ischemia or myocardial ischemia, in the final analysis, both result from "insufficient blood supply", leading to the necrosis or apoptosis of neurons or myocardial cells. These pathological changes are often accompanied by oxidative stress, inflammatory responses and angiogenesis disorders, making the problem even more complicated. The performance of A. sinensis extract in these aspects is not bad either. For example, it can reduce the infarct area, increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes, and regulate the apoptosis and angiogenesis pathways (Cheng et al., 2017; Niu et al., 2018; Han et al., 2021). Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases are not simple. It is not a disease that can be solved by a single "target", but rather a process interwoven with multiple factors and paths. Medicinal materials, like A. sinensis, which have complex components and multiple functions, have found their application in multi-target treatment. Combining modern pharmacology with traditional experience, it can be found that it is a potential candidate drug for cardiovascular, and cerebrovascular protection worthy of in-depth development. This study precisely aims to clarify exactly "how it works" and in which pathways it plays a key role, thereby providing new ideas for the treatment of complex vascular diseases. 2 Bioactive Components and Pharmacological Basis of A. sinensis 2.1 Major bioactive components Polysaccharides, are one of the most abundant and have the greatest pharmacological effects components in A. sinensis. This type of water-soluble macromolecule, is mainly composed of glucose, galactose, arabinose, rhamnose, fucose, xylose and galacturonic acid, and has multiple biological activities, like hematopoiesis, immune regulation, anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, anti-tumor, liver protection and hypoglycemia (Bi et al., 2021; Tian et al., 2024). Its mechanism of action involves the regulation of inflammation, oxidative stress and pro-fibrotic signaling pathways, and shows broad application prospects in disease prevention and treatment, especially in the intervention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (Hou et al., 2021; Nai et al., 2021; Ren et al., 2025). The volatile oils (ligustilide, butylphthalide etc.), and organic acids (such as ferulic acid) in A. sinensis are also key active ingredients (Lu and Wang, 2025). Ligustilide has anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and anti-atherosclerotic effects, while ferulic acid is known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and lipid-regulating properties. These components play roles in vascular protection and circulatory health (Yang et al., 2019; Ma et al., 2023; Yan et al., 2023). A. sinensis also contains coumarins (like glabralactone) and phenolic acids, which also exhibit anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and vascular protective activities. Glabralactone can inhibit inflammatory signaling pathways, while phenolic acid substances enhance antioxidant defense, and maintain vascular function (Wei et al., 2016; Choi et al., 2022; Lu and Wang, 2025). 2.2 Pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution The pharmacokinetic characteristics of the active ingredients in A. sinensis, vary depending on their molecular structure. Polysaccharides, due to their large molecular weight, usually have a low oral bioavailability. But, with the improvement of extraction and formulation processes, their absorption rate and therapeutic potential are constantly increasing. Volatile oils and organic acids, are more easily absorbed and metabolized, and thus can exert pharmacological effects more quickly (Wei et al., 2016; Bi et al., 2021; Nai et al., 2021). Studies have shown that, the active components of A. sinensis have specific distribution and effects in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular tissues (Niu et al., 2018). This tissue targeting is an important basis for its ability to effectively protect vascular endothelia, reduce ischemic injury, and regulate inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways, related to heart and brain health (Chen et al., 2024; Ren et al., 2025). 2.3 Overview of pharmacological actions The polysaccharides, volatile oils and coumarin compounds in A. sinensis, all exhibit anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. These effects mainly include inhibiting the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, reducing oxidative stress, and regulating immune responses, thereby jointly protecting blood vessels from damage and alleviating ischemic damage (Hou et al., 2021; Choi et al., 2022).
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