Herbal traditions have used these plants for centuries, but we like to go a step further and look at what modern research actually shows. Below are six herbs in our Clean Arteries blend, along with a plain-language look at the peer-reviewed studies behind each one.
English Hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata)
In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, a flower-and-leaf preparation of C. laevigata added to standard statin treatment lowered LDL cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol in diabetic patients with chronic coronary heart disease over six months. A comprehensive review of hawthorn's role in atherosclerosis found that its extracts consistently lower blood lipids, fight oxidative stress, and protect the vascular endothelium — the inner lining of blood vessels where plaque begins to form. In a separate randomized controlled trial, daily hawthorn extract produced a significantly greater reduction in diastolic blood pressure than placebo in patients with type 2 diabetes already taking prescribed medication. 🔗 LDL cholesterol trial (PubMed) · Atherosclerosis review (PubMed) · Blood pressure trial (PubMed)
Elder Flower (Sambucus nigra flos)
In a screening study aimed at preventing atherosclerosis, aqueous extracts of both elder flower and elder leaf increased the expression of ABCA1, a transporter protein that helps remove excess cholesterol from artery-clogging foam cells — without the unwanted side effect of increasing fat production in the liver that some other cholesterol-lowering compounds cause. In an animal model of hyperlipidemia, an anthocyanin-rich black elderberry extract improved markers of HDL (the "good" cholesterol) function and reduced cholesterol buildup in the aorta. Separately, a Sambucus nigra polyphenol extract combined with a renin inhibitor produced a meaningful reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in an experimental model of hypertension. 🔗 Foam cell/cholesterol efflux study (PubMed) · HDL function/aortic cholesterol study (PubMed) · Blood pressure study (PubMed)
Wild Pansy (Viola tricolor)
In combined lab and animal testing, Viola tricolor extract relaxed blood vessel walls and lowered blood pressure, an effect linked to its blocking of voltage-gated calcium channels — the same target used by a major class of prescription blood pressure medications. In a related model of heart damage, the extract also lowered angiotensin-converting enzyme and renin levels while increasing nitric oxide, a molecule essential for healthy, flexible arteries. Separately, when wild pansy flower was added to the diet in an animal study, it increased HDL cholesterol and reduced the plasma atherogenic index, a combined measure of cardiovascular risk calculated from cholesterol ratios. 🔗 Cardioprotective/hypotensive study (PubMed) · High-fat diet/atherogenic index study · Antioxidant capacity study (PubMed)
Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
In an animal study using a diet high in cholesterol and carbohydrates, Calendula officinalis extract reduced fat buildup in liver tissue and helped normalize markers of both oxidative stress and lipid profile. In an isolated-heart model, perfusing the tissue with a calendula solution before inducing ischemia protected the heart by boosting left ventricular pressure and aortic flow while reducing infarct size and the death of heart muscle cells — an effect linked to activation of the body's own survival signaling pathways. Separately, preclinical research on calendula flowers found a concentration-dependent relaxation of blood vessel walls in aortic ring tissue, an effect attributed to the flavonoid quercetin. 🔗 Lipid profile study (PubMed) · Cardioprotection/ischemia study (PubMed) · Vasorelaxant effect review
African Marigold (Tagetes erecta)
In an animal study of diet-induced hyperlipidemia, an ethanol extract of marigold flower significantly reduced total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, malondialdehyde (a marker of oxidative damage to fats), and apolipoprotein B, a protein found in the particles that carry cholesterol into artery walls. Quercetagetin, the major flavonoid extracted from marigold flowers, showed strong antioxidant activity along with lipid-lowering (antilipemic) potential in laboratory testing. Lutein, the carotenoid pigment that makes up the bulk of marigold's natural extract and gives the flower its color, was shown in a randomized, placebo-controlled human trial to reduce the thickening of the carotid artery wall in people with early-stage atherosclerosis. 🔗 Cholesterol/LDL study · Quercetagetin antioxidant/antilipemic study · Lutein carotid artery trial (PubMed)
Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica)
In an animal study using a high-cholesterol diet, a hydroalcoholic extract of nettle leaf reduced the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in the aorta compared to untreated controls. In a separate animal model of hypertension, nettle leaf extract lowered blood pressure and reduced markers of oxidative stress over a four-week period, performing alongside the pharmaceutical comparison drug losartan. Separately, pharmacological studies on nettle root extract found a vasorelaxing effect on isolated aortic tissue, mediated by the release of nitric oxide from the blood vessel lining and the opening of potassium channels, along with a measurable hypotensive effect in further animal testing. 🔗 Atherosclerosis plaque study (PMC) · Blood pressure/oxidative stress study (PubMed) · Vasorelaxant/hypotensive study (PubMed)
Why This Matters
Each of these herbs has been studied individually for its effects on cholesterol, blood pressure, and the health of the blood vessel wall — largely in laboratory and animal studies, with a smaller number of human clinical trials. We combine them because their documented modes of action work together at different points along the path to arterial disease: from lowering circulating LDL cholesterol and reducing oxidative damage, to relaxing blood vessels and helping clear cholesterol out of the artery wall itself.
This post is for educational purposes and summarizes existing scientific literature. It is not medical advice, and our blend is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult a healthcare provider before using herbal supplements, especially if you have cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, or are taking blood pressure or cholesterol medication.