title: Comparison of cardioprotective effects using ramipril and DanShen for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction in rats.
abstract: In the present study, we compared cardioprotective effects of DanShen (an extract from Salvia miltiorrhiza) and the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, ramipril, in rats. With both treatment regimens, DanShen- and ramipril similar effects were observed: (1) a higher survival rate, (2) a significant reduction of infarct size, (3) significantly lower ratios of heart weight to the body weight as well as the left and right ventricular weights to body weight. DanShen showed some unique effects in the following aspects: (1) higher activities of antioxidant defense enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutatione perioxidase (GSH-Px) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in the liver of rats with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), (2) lower myocardial and hepatic TBARS values; (3) augmented VEGF mRNA expressions in the non-ischemic parts of rat hearts with AMI. These results were consistent with the findings of a slight increase in myocardial capillary density and the special distribution pattern of coronary blood vessels in DanShen-treated rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 10 Kent Ridge Crescent, Singapore. phczhuyz@nus.edu.sg
authors.forename: XinYan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Benny K-H
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Yi Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Linz
authors.forename: Yi Zhun
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants; D002196:Capillaries / Q000473:pathology; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000235:genetics; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D009929:Organ Size; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D017257:Ramipril / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System; D027561:Salvia miltiorrhiza; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D015996:Survival Rate; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008222:Lymphokines; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D017257:Ramipril