Astragaloside IV alleviates heart failure by modulating Nrf-2

To the Editor:Heart failure(HF)is currently recognized as a disease that affects approximately 1%–2%of adults worldwide.[1]The most frequent reasons for HF are valvular heart diseases,chronic or acute cardiac ischemia,and prevalent cardiomyopathies that are caused by alcohol,doxorubicin(Dox),hypertension,diabetes,and metabolic syndrome.[2]The diverse therapeutic approaches that have been developed in recent years have usually only been successful in preclinical subjects,and efficient treatment for HF still needs to be executed.[3]Therefore,a more practical therapeutic strategy and therapeutic candidates are urgently needed.Astragaloside IV(AS-IV)is a principle active constituent of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge,which is a Chinese protective medicine that is widely used in HF patients.[4]Increasing evidence confirms the efficiency and safety of AS-IV for the treatment of HF in vivo and in vitro.However,to date,the investigations in this field have been limited to the broad roles of AS-IV.