Blood-quickening and stasis-transforming pathway (BQSTP)

The Blood-quickening and stasis-transforming pathway (Huoxue Huayu) is a core therapeutic concept in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that describes a coordinated pharmacological approach to treating 'Blood Stasis' syndrome. In modern biomedical terms, this pathway encompasses the modulation of blood rheology, the coagulation cascade, and vascular endothelial function to resolve states of ischemia, congestion, and thrombosis (Zhang et al., 2017). It is not a single molecular target like a specific receptor but rather a network of biological processes—including the inhibition of platelet activation and the promotion of fibrinolysis—targeted by various bioactive compounds such as tanshinones, ferulic acid, and ginsenosides (Chen et al., 2019). Drugs and herbal formulations targeting this pathway are primarily used in the management of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disorders, such as coronary heart disease and ischemic stroke, where they help restore microvascular blood flow and reduce inflammatory damage. However, because these agents significantly alter hemostasis, the primary clinical concern is an elevated risk of bleeding, particularly when used in conjunction with conventional antiplatelet or anticoagulant medications (PubMed Central, PMC6035313). For biotech analysts, this 'pathway' represents a poly-pharmacological strategy rather than a discrete protein target, requiring a systems-biology perspective for evaluation.

Other names

Promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis (PBCRBS)Huoxue HuayuBlood-activating and stasis-resolving pathwayPromoting blood circulation and dissipating blood stasisInvigorating blood and transforming stasis

The pathway operates through multi-component modulation of the hemorheological system, including the inhibition of platelet surface glycoproteins (GP IIb/IIIa), reduction of plasma viscosity, suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-6), and activation of the plasminogen system to dissolve fibrin clots (Wang et al., 2020; Li et al., 2018).