Herbal medicines show much promise for helping patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Nǎo Xīn Tōng Náng (Brain and Heart Connected Capsule) formula with aspirin, lumbrokinase, and nattokinase are all natural anticoagulants, with varying degrees of evidence supporting their use or potential use in AF patients. The modern Chinese herbal formula Wen Xin Ke Li looks promising for maintaining sinus rhythm in paroxysmal AF patients, as does Shēn Sōng Yǎng Xīn Capsule. Anti-arrhythmic herbs, both for heart rate and for heart rhythm control (as well as preventing paroxysmal AF from recurring), generally used historically and not studied in clinical trials but with substantial supporting preclinical information on their actions, include Leonurus cardiaca (motherwort), L. japonicus (Chinese motherwort), Lycopus virginicus (sweet bugleweed) and related species, Corydalis yanhusuo (Chinese corydalis, yán hú suǒ), Stephania tetrandra (fěn fáng jǐ, hàn fáng jǐ, stephania), Rauvolfia serpentina (Indian snakeroot, rauwfolia), Crataegus spp (hawthorn), and Cinchona spp. (Peruvian bark). The isolated herbal alkaloids berberine and tetrahydropalmatine have shown promise for AF or related conditions. Further research is needed to determine the full potential of these herbs.
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