Advances of clinical trials on compound Danshen dripping pills for stable angina pectoris: A perspective

Stable angina pectoris (SAP) is a prevalent manifestation of ischemic heart disease, characterized by chest pain due to myocardial ischemia. Although standard pharmacological treatments such as nitrates, beta-blockers, and calcium channel blockers are commonly prescribed, their long-term efficacy is often limited by side effects, prompting interest in alternative therapies. Compound Danshen droplet Pills (CDDP), a traditional Chinese medicine formulation comprising Salvia miltiorrhiza, Panax notoginseng, and Borneol, has been widely used in China for its cardiovascular benefits, including improving circulation and alleviating angina symptoms. Despite its clinical use, systematic evaluations of CDDP's efficacy in SAP management are limited. This review summarizes the clinical evidence on CDDP for SAP treatment by analyzing randomized controlled trials (RCTs). A comprehensive search of the China National Knowledge Infrastructure and PubMed databases was conducted, covering studies up to July 31, 2024, using terms such as "compound Danshen droplet pills" and "stable angina pectoris." Only peer-reviewed RCTs focusing on CDDP for SAP, published in English or Chinese, were included. After a rigorous screening process by 2 independent authors, with discrepancies resolved by a third, 10 eligible RCTs were selected for review. The results suggest that CDDP may provide significant therapeutic benefits, including anti-ischemic, vasodilatory, and antioxidative effects, with favorable safety profiles in both monotherapy and combination therapy. However, further multicenter RCTs are necessary to validate its long-term efficacy and safety. This review highlights the potential of CDDP as a complementary therapy for SAP and underscores the need for further evidence-based research to optimize its clinical use.