Morroniside protects cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells from damage by high ambient glucose.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether morroniside, a compound in Cornus officinalis Sieb et Zucc can prevent cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) from damage by high ambient glucose.


METHODS
HUVEC was incubated in glucose, 5 or 30 mmol/L, either alone or in the presence of morroniside (final concentration 100, 10, and 1 micromol/L, respectively) for 48 h. The proliferation of HUVEC was quantified by MTT method; its cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry; morphological change was observed with fluorescence microscopy.


RESULTS
Survival of HUVEC cultured in high ambient glucose was significantly decreased when compared to that in normal concentration of glucose (P<0.01). High ambient glucose also lowered the rate of cells entering into S-phase, along with severe morphological damage. With the intervention of morroniside (final concentration 100 and 10 micromol/L), the cell survival was significantly recovered (P<0.01, P<0.05, respectively), accompanied with increased S-phase rate and less extent of morphological damage.


CONCLUSIONS
Morroniside protected HUVEC against high ambient glucose induced injury, which suggested that morroniside could exert a beneficial effect on preventing diabetic angiopathies.
Xu
Hui-qin
HQ
College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210029, China. Hqxu309@sohu.com
Hao
Hai-ping
HP
Zhang
Xu
X
Pan
Yang
Y
D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D029768:Cornus / Q000737:chemistry; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D005947:Glucose / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006027:Glycosides / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016196:S Phase; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000166:cytology
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D006027:Glycosides; D020011:Protective Agents; C488401:morroniside; D005947:Glucose