A controversial new study examines traditional Chinese medicine’s potential cardiac benefits

A traditional Chinese medicine compound used for cardiac benefits might help reduce the incidence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events and even cardiac death rates, according to a new study published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

However, some outside experts expressed skepticism about the result.

Tongxinluo — which means “to open (tong) the network (luo) of the heart (xin)” in Mandarin —  is a traditional Chinese medicine compound made out of a mixture of powders and extracts from plants, centipedes, cicadas, and other sources.

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