Corresponding Author: Sachin S Mali, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Bharati Vidyapeeth College of Pharmacy, Near Chitranagari, Kolhapur, 416 013, Maharashtra, India. E-Mail: sachinmali143@gmail.com ; sachinmali5@rediffmail.com 103 Indian J.Pharm.Biol.Res. 2014; 2(1):103-107 Review Article Expulsion by Ionic Complexation: Benchmark Therapy for Atherosclerosis A Review Mali Sachin S 1* , Hajare Ashok A 1 , Karade Raviraj S 1 , Salunkhe Sachin S 2 ,Nadaf Sameer J 1 , Honmane Sandip M 1 , Bhatia Neela M 2 1 Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Bharati Vidyapeeth College of Pharmacy, Near Chitranagari, Kolhapur, 416 013, Maharashtra, India. 2 Department of Quality Assurance Technique, Bharati Vidyapeeth College of Pharmacy, Near Chitranagari, Kolhapur, 416 013, Maharashtra, India. ARTICLE INFO: Article history: Received: 11 February 2014 Received in revised form: 21 February 2014 Accepted: 25 February 2014 Available online7 March 2014 Keywords: EDTA, Chelation therapy, Cholesterol, Cardiovasculardiseases, Atherosclerosis. ABSTRACT Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) chelation therapy has been practiced since longtime for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, alone or in combination with other treatments. It has been recommended as a harmless, relatively inexpensive and non-surgical method of restoring blood flow in atherosclerotic vessels. Ability of EDTA to form complex with heavy metals like calcium, lead, copper is used to remove calcium from arthrosclerosis plaques which ultimately improves the condition. It can be concluded that chelation therapy is emerging form of complementary or alternative medicine to surgery and can be used in safe manner. Still there is insufficient evidence to decide on the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of chelation therapy in improving clinical outcomes of patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. 1. Introduction 1.1 Atherosclerosis Atherosclerosis is a disease, characterized by thickening of artery wall as a result of the accumulation of calcium and fatty materials such as cholesterol and triglyceride. It occurs largely due to accumulation of macrophages and white blood cells and promoted primarily by LDL (low-density lipoproteins).[1,2] atherosclerosis are directly related to the oxidation of lipids in LDLs that become trapped in the extracellular matrix of the subendothelial space.[3] The cells of the artery wall secrete oxidative products from multiple pathways that can seed the LDL trapped in the subendothelial space and initiate lipid oxidation.[4,5,6] These oxidized lipids activate an NFκB-like transcription factor and induce the expression of genes containing NFκB binding sites. The protein products of these genes initiate an inflammatory response that initially leads to the development of the fatty streak.[7] Middle-aged and older people are more likely to suffer the atherosclerosis, because this fatty buildup usually starts early in life and gradually gets worse over many years.[8] Continuation in plaque builds up, leads to constriction and hardening of the arteries. They become narrower due to loss of their ability to expand and contract as blood flows through them.[9] CODEN (USA): IJPB07 ISSN: 2320-9267 Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biological Research (IJPBR) Journal homepage: www.ijpbr.in