Traditional Chinese medicine promote the function of endothelial progenitor cells in the treatment of diseases of vascular injury

Re-endothelialization of damaged endangium and angiogenesis of ischemic parts play an important role in the treatment of vascular injury diseases. Numerous studies have shown that endothelial progenitor cells(EPCs) participate in the two processes directly or indirectly. Bone-marrow derived EPCs are used for the treatment of ischemic diseases in clinical trials and circulating EPC levels are considered as biomarkers for coronary and peripheral artery diseases. Traditional Chinese medicine is a rich source of cardiovascular medicine, particularly those with blood circulation-promoting and blood stasis-removing properties.Chinese herbal formula and their active ingredients active in improving EPCs functions such as proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis are reviewed in this article, but further investigations are required to understand the chemical basis and mechanism of action of these EPC promoting herbal medicine in order to better utilize this natural resource for the development of more efective treatment for ischemic cardiovascular diseases.