[Anti-atherosclerotic effects of divided functional recipes of Dahang Zhechong pill in rabbits].
OBJECTIVE
To study the effects of the divided functional recipes of Dahuang Zhechong pill( DHZCP) on atherosclerosis in rabbits.


METHODS
The atherosclerotic model was established by the combination of hypercholesterol feeding and immune-injured endothelium in rabbits. Male New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into nine groups: normal group, model group, Danshen group (0. 5 g x kg(-1) ), the low-dose(0. 5 g x kg(-1) ) and high-dose( 1.0 g - kg(-1) ) groups of the first divided recipe, the low-dose(0. 75 g x kg-' ) and high-dose(1. 5 g x kg(-1)) groups of the second divided recipe, the low-dose(0. 8 g x kg(-1) ) and high-dose( 1.6 g x kg(-1) ) groups of the third divided recipe. The effects of the divided functional recipes of DHZCP were observed in macropathology, histopathology and ultrastructure. Image analyzing system was used to determine atherosclerotic plaque area, intima thickness(IT) and intima-media thickness(IMT) in rabbit aorta.


RESULTS
The divided functional recipes of DHZCP could significantly decreased the deposit of lipid and the atherosclerotic plaque area in aorta intima, relieve the histopathological changes of atherosclerosis, and inhibited the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells and collagen to reduce pachynsis of vascular intima. The divided functional recipes of DHZCP also reduced IT, IMT and IT/MT and reversed the contractive vascular remodeling.


CONCLUSIONS
The divided functional recipes of DHZCP produce the different anti-atherosclerotic action, among which the first divided functional recipe exhibits more effective action.
Ji
Yuan-yuan
YY
Department of Pharmacology, Medical School of Xi'an Jiao Tong University, Xi'an 710061, China.
Liu
Jun-tian
JT
Gou-Wei
Wang
Zhi-dong
ZD
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003058:Cockroaches / Q000737:chemistry; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D012250:Rheum / Q000737:chemistry; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology
C521634:Dahuang Zhechong pill; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal