["Bu-yang huanwu tang" inhibited the pathogentic process of atherosclerosis induced by cholesterol-rich diet in rabbits].
OBJECTIVE
"Bu-yang huanwu tang", a decoction of Chinese herbs widely used in the treatment for cardio- and cerebro-vascular diseases, has been demonstrated to be able to inhibit platelet adhesion and aggregation, to lower blood lipids, to regulate vascular tone from animal experiments. The aim of this study is to determine whether this decoction inhibits the pathogentic process of atherosclerosis induced by cholesterol-rich diet in rabbits.


METHODS
Three groups of rabbits received the following different diets for 9 weeks: 1. standard diet; 2. atherogenic diet(standard diet plus 1% cholesterol and 3.3% fat); 3. atherogenic diet plus this decoction(5 g.kg-1.d-1). Plasma lipids, 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, endothelin levels were detected and the histological atherosclerotic changes were evaluated.


RESULTS
This decoction inhibited the progression of aortic and abdominal aortic intimal plaques and reduced aortic intimal thickening.


CONCLUSIONS
The anti-atherogenic mechanism might be related to the decrease of plasma cholesterol and triglycerides and the increase of PGI2. The facts suggest that "Bu-yang huanwu tang" has antiatherogenic and antithrombotic effects.
Liu
F Y
FY
Thrombosis and Hemostasis Research Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Hunan Medical University, Changsha 410078.
Wen
Z B
ZB
Zhou
C S
CS
Yang
X P
XP
Shang
G P
GP
He
S L
SL
Li
J C
JC
D000818:Animals; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000097:blood; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation
D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; C460102:buyang huanwu