BHUx: A patent polyherbal formulation to prevent atherosclerosis

Abstract

Ayurvedic medicine is a time-tested system of medicine which has been in clinical use for centuries in India. Being a time-tested system, it has an edge over other existing systems of health management, especially for dealing with chronic disorders such as coronary artery disease, which is of a complex multi-etiological nature. Recently, we have shown that BHUx, a patented polyherbal formulation consisting of the aqueous fraction of five medicinal plants of the ayurvedic system, has significant anti-inflammatory properties through inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 and lipoxygenase-15. Here we have investigated its effect on diet-induced atherosclerosis in albino rabbits. BHUx was given orally for 3 months to rabbits pre-treated with an atherogenic diet for 3 months. After 6 months, the dorsal aorta was processed for histological studies for calcium and collagen content. The results demonstrated a remarkable reduction in intimal thickening in the treated animals. In addition, there was less calcification at the intima-medial interface and increased intensity of collagen cap on the surface along with an increase in survival, compared with the sham control. We suggest that BHUx is a potent, multi-factorial formulation against atherosclerosis. © The Author (2005). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.