title: Long-term treatment with a Yang-invigorating Chinese herbal formula produces generalized tissue protection against oxidative damage in rats.
abstract: Previous work in our laboratory has shown that long-term treatment with Vigconic 28 (VI-28), a Yang-invigorating Chinese herbal formula used for the promotion of overall wellness in Chinese medicine, can enhance the mitochondrial functional ability and antioxidant capacity in various tissues of both male and female rats. To investigate whether the VI-28 treatment regimen could afford tissue protection against oxidative injury, the effects of long-term VI-28 treatment (80 or 240 mg/kg/d x 30) on oxidative stress-induced tissue damage in various organs (brain, heart, liver, and kidney) were examined in female rats. The results indicated that long-term VI-28 treatment invariably protected against oxidative tissue damage in the rat models of cerebral/myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury, CCl4 hepatotoxicity, and gentamicin nephrotoxicity. The tissue protection was associated with increases in the levels and activities of mitochondrial antioxidant components as well as with the preservation of mitochondrial structural integrity. This was evidenced by decreases in the sensitivity of mitochondria to Ca2+-induced permeability transition, and in the levels of mitochondrial malondialdehyde production, Ca2+ loading, and cytochrome c release in the tissues examined. Interestingly, the VI-28 treatment increased red cell CuZn-superoxide dismutase (CuZn-SOD) levels, and these levels correlated positively with the degree of tissue protection afforded by long-term VI-28 treatment in rats. The generalized tissue protection afforded by long-term VI-28 treatment may have clinical implications in the prevention of age-related diseases, and VI-28 treatment may possibly delay the aging process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Po Yee
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Hoi Yan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: Ada Hoi Ling
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Siu
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Michel K T
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Poon
authors.forename: Kam Ming
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Ko
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D002336:Carnosine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019610:Cytoprotection / Q000187:drug effects; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005839:Gentamicins; D020925:Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain / Q000188:drug therapy; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000188:drug therapy; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000188:drug therapy; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D016711:Yang Deficiency / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005839:Gentamicins; D002762:Cholecalciferol; D002336:Carnosine; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase