Salviae miltiorrhizae ameliorates cirrhosis and portal hypertension by inhibiting nitric oxide in cirrhotic rats.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effect of Salviae miltiorrhizae on cirrhosis and portal hypertension by inhibiting nitric oxide synthase type II (NOSII) in rats.


METHODS
Real time RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of NOSII mRNA. The enzymatic activity of nitric oxide synthase and the circulating levels of nitric oxide (NO), systemic and portal hemodynamics, and quantification of cirrhosis were measured with highly sensitive methods. Traditional Chinese medicine was utilized to treat cirrhotic rats and the function of NO was evaluated. Double-blind method was applied in the experiment constantly.


RESULTS
The concentration of NO increased markedly at all stages of cirrhosis, and so did the enzymatic activity of NOS, and the iNOSmRNA expressed greatly. Meanwhile the portal-venous-pressure (PVP), portal-venous-flow (PVF) increased significantly. NO, NOS and iNOSmRNA were positively correlated to the quantity of hepatic fibrosis. Salviae miltiorrhizae significantly inhibited NO production and inhibited the expression of iNOSmRNA.


CONCLUSIONS
The increased hepatic expression of NOSII is one of the important factors causing cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Salviae miltiorrhizae significantly ameliorates cirrhosis and portal hypertension.
Wang
Hai
H
Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
Chen
Xiao-Ping
XP
Qiu
Fa-Zu
FZ
D000818:Animals; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply / Q000201:enzymology; D008102:Liver Circulation; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000097:blood; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000235:genetics; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011169:Portal Vein; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D027561:Salvia miltiorrhiza
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; C496318:Nos2 protein, rat; C496316:Nos3 protein, rat