Chinese patent medicine Wenxin Keli: A review on its chemical constituents, pharmacological activities, quality control, and clinical applications.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, placing a substantial economic burden on both individuals and societies. In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has attracted increasing attention for its advantages in treating CVD, owing to its efficacy and relatively few side effects. Among various TCM formulations, Wenxin Keli (WXKL) has demonstrated promising therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of CVD.

AIM OF THE REVIEW: This paper presents a comprehensive summary of the chemical composition, quality control, pharmacological activities, safety profile and clinical applications of WXKL, derived from extensive literature searches in major electronic databases. Furthermore, the current challenges facing WXKL and future perspectives for future research are discussed.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was performed in the following electronic databases up to 2025: PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and WANFANG Data. The review process was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines.

RESULTS

Previous studies indicate that WXKL is effective in treating patients with CVD and is associated with comparatively fewer adverse reactions. This review aims to elucidate the relationship between the anti-CVD effects of WXKL and mechanisms involving oxidative stress, inflammation, myocardial ion channels and other factors, while also summarizing current evidence regarding its safety profile.

CONCLUSIONS

WXKL exerts therapeutic effects in CVD treatment through multiple mechanisms including anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant stress, modulation of myocardial ion channel homeostasis, inhibition of apoptosis, and prevention of myocardial ischemia, cardiac fibrosis and cardiac hypertrophy. However, additional clinical trials and animal studies are still required to further substantiate its efficacy and guide clinical application. This review summarizes current research on WXKL and aims to provide insights to inform future investigations.