Polyphenols of *Salvia miltiorrhiza* in Aging-Associated Cardiovascular Diseases and Cancer

*Yu-Chen Cheng, Yu-Chiang Hung and Wen-Long Hu*

### **Abstract**

With the increasing lifespan of human, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and cancer are the main diseases leading to the death in the world. Aging is related to a progressive decline in cardiovascular function and structure. While human body suffer from oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated as metabolic by-products, which lead to inactivate proteins, damage nucleic acids, and alter the fatty acids of lipids. The accumulation of this oxidative damage contributes to the development of heart disease, diabetes, chronic inflammatory diseases, and cancer. Polyphenols have been widely studied as an anti-oxidant agent in the world. Danshen, the dried root or rhizome of *Salvia miltiorrhiza* Bunge. is a common Traditional Chinese medicine used in cardiovascular disease and cancer. The main polyphenols in Danshen are phenolic acids (including Salvianolic acids A and B, rosmarinic acid, and their derivatives) and flavonoids. Salvianolic acids have potent anti-oxidative capabilities due to their polyphenolic structure and exhibit cardiovascular protection through mechanisms of ROS scavengers, reduction of leukocyte-endothelial adherence, inhibition of inflammation and indirect regulation of immune function. Salvianolic acids A and B have been reported to owe anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory activities not only through inducing apoptosis, halting cell cycle and adjourning metastasis by targeting multiple deregulated signaling networks of cancer but also sensitizing cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents.

**Keywords:** *Salvia miltiorrhiza*, polyphenol, Traditional Chinese medicine, cardiovascular disease, cancer

### **1. Introduction**

With the increasing lifespan of human, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and cancer are the main diseases leading to the death in the world [1]. Aging is related to a progressive decline in cardiovascular function and structure. The major CVDs include ischemic heart disease, cardiomyopathy, hypertensive heart disease, atrial fibrillation, stroke, aortic aneurysm, rheumatic heart disease, endocarditis, and peripheral arterial disease [2].

There are many oxidants surrounding our environment even persisted inside the human body. While human body suffer from oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced from the respiratory chain and leading the electron transfer.

Superoxide radical (O2 •–) which dismutates from hydrogen peroxide (H 2O2) and molecular oxygen (O2) is a toxic compound after the ROS stimulation [3, 4]. ROS are related to inactivate proteins, damage nucleic acids, and alter the fatty acids of lipids. When those oxidative intracellular components in turn to perturbations in membrane structure and function, those reaction might lead to cell damage. The accumulation of this oxidative damage for a long period of time will leading the development of heart disease, diabetes, chronic inflammatory diseases, cancer, and several neurodegenerative diseases in the aging process.

Polyphenols have been widely studied as an anti-oxidant agent in the world. They are common nutrient antioxidants, mainly derived from fruits, vegetables, tea, coffee, cocoa, mushrooms, beverages, and Traditional Chinese medicine [5, 6]. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are widely used for a long time in Asia countries. Most TCM source come from plants, including leaf, stem, roots or whole plants. Polyphenols are content rich in plants, and so are TCM. Danshen, the dried root or rhizome of *Salvia miltiorrhiza* Bunge. is a common TCM used in cardiovascular disease and cancer [7–9]. Following, we will make a discussion of aging-associated CVDs, cancer and *Salvia miltiorrhiza* (Danshen).
