A Korean venture firm says it's developed a natural treatment for arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, with researchers in Poland.

The medicine known as "Aronox" is a natural substance extracted from the Polish aronia berry. A key ingredient of the berries is the antioxidant anthocyanin, which helps protect against damage caused by UV rays.

The Polish team from Warsaw University injected Aronox into patients with hardened arteries. After which they found that levels of a protein associated with artery inflammation and oxidized cholesterol dropped markedly.

The patients' blood pressure also went down and their insulin resistance improved.

After clinical testing on Korean patients, the treatment is expected to go on sale in the latter half of 2009.