title: Increase of vitamin E content in LDL and reduction of atherosclerosis in cholesterol-fed rabbits by a water-soluble antioxidant-rich fraction of Salvia miltiorrhiza.
abstract: Antioxidants that prevent LDL from oxidation may reduce atherosclerosis. Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge is a Chinese herb widely used for the treatment of atherosclerosis-related disorders. Salvianolic acid B (Sal B), a water-soluble polyphenolic antioxidant isolated from the roots of this plant, was found to scavenge 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals and inhibit LDL oxidation more effectively than probucol. In order to evaluate the antiatherogenic potential, New Zealand White rabbits were fed for 12 weeks a normal diet, a high cholesterol diet, a high cholesterol diet containing 1% probucol, or a high cholesterol diet containing a 5% water-soluble extract of S miltiorrhiza (SM). Both SM and probucol feeding reduced plasma cholesterol. LDLs from the SM-treated group were more resistant to Cu2+-induced oxidation and contained more vitamin E (21.7+/-2.1 mmol/micromol LDL cholesterol) than did LDLs from the high cholesterol diet group (9.6+/-1.8 nmnol/micromol LDL cholesterol) (P<.005). Endothelial damage, determined at week 6, was reduced by 53% in the SM group (P<.01). SM treatment reduced the atherosclerotic area in the abdominal aorta by 56% (P<.005) and cholesterol deposition in the thoracic aorta by 50% (P<.005). The severity of atherosclerosis in the SM group was significantly reduced after adjustment by using cholesterol exposure as an index of the cholesterol-lowering effect. This study concludes that the reduction of atherosclerosis by SM relies not only on its cholesterol-lowering effect but more heavily on its antioxidant potential to prevent endothelial damage and inhibit LDL oxidative modification in hypercholesterolemic animals.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Traditional Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Y J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Shiao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001011:Aorta / Q000378:metabolism; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D015764:Bepridil / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000494:pharmacology; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D010851:Picrates; D011341:Probucol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011817:Rabbits; D012995:Solubility; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000032:analysis*; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D010851:Picrates; D014867:Water; D014810:Vitamin E; D015764:Bepridil; D002784:Cholesterol; C004931:1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl; D011341:Probucol