title: [The inhibitory effects of Radix Astragali on hypoxic pulmonary hypertension of rats].
abstract: The inhibitory effects of Radix Astragali (RA) on hypoxic structural remodeling of intra-acinar pulmonary arteries (IAPA) and pulmonary hypertension (PHT) were studied in rats, which were fed in hypoxic environment under normal atmospheric pressure (10% O2 10 hours/day). 60 rats were divided into 3 groups; hypoxia group, hypoxia+RA group and control group. On the 15th and 30th day of hypoxia, right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) and right ventricle hypertrophy index (RVHI) were measured and pulmonary vessel changes were studies under light and electronic microscopes and morphometric analysis. Compared with the hypoxia+RA group, RA could prevent IAPA wall cell damage and dilate the constricted IPIA induced by hypoxia. RA could also inhibit hypertrophic changes in the tunica media and proliferation of adventitial cells of the IAPA and muscularization of non-muscular arteries. Therefore, preserving the IAPA wall cells and dilating IAPA by RA may play an important role in inhibiting structural remodeling of IAPA and pulmonary hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Cardiovascular Institute, Beijing.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ruan
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000473:pathology*; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal