Apigenin-7-O-glucoside from Gualou-Xiebai may reduce artery plaque by promoting fat-cleaning in vessel muscle cells through Rab7 and SNAP29

Foam cell formation by vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is a key event in atherosclerotic plaque development.

• Lipophagy, a process that helps manage cell fat levels, is influenced by the small protein Rab7.
• The role of Rab7 in regulating lipophagy and its impact on VSMC lipid balance in atherosclerosis is not fully understood.
• The traditional Gualou-Xiebai herb pair (GLXB), used for chest pain, is linked to changes in fat metabolism.
• Molecular targets of GLXB related to its effects on lipid metabolism in atherosclerosis are currently undefined.

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