[Effects of rhodiola on expression of vascular endothelial cell growth factor and angiogenesis in aortic atherosclerotic plaque of rabbits].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of rhodiola on expression of vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) and angiogenesis in aortic atherosclerotic plaque of rabbits.


METHODS
Thirty male New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups equally, i. e. the control group (A) fed with common diet and treated with distilled water, the high fat diet group (B) and the rhodiola group (C) fed with diet containing 1.5% cholesterol and treated respectively with distilled water and rhodiola (1 mL/kg per day), all the treatments were administered via gastrogavage once a day for 9 successive weeks. Level of blood lipids in various groups was determined and compared at the end of the experiment. Meanwhile, the tissue sample of aorta was taken for observation through HE and Sudan red staining, for detecting the CD34 positive response intensity by immunohistochemical staining and the VEGF expression by Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR and Western blot.


RESULTS
Determination of blood lipids showed that in Group C, TC was 42.01 +/- 1.99 mmol/L, TG 4.83 +/- 0.75 mmol/L and LDL-C 38.40 +/- 0.74 mmol/L, all lower than those in Group B (70.74 +/- 2.66 mmol/L, 8.75 +/- 0.78 mmol/L and 51.05 +/- 0.34 mmol/L, respectively), showing statistical difference between groups (P < 0.05). The intima/media tunica thickness ratio and the CD34 positive area of plaque in Group C were all lower than those in Group B (0.35 +/- 0.03 vs 0.43 +/- 0.03 and 29.12 +/- 2.56% vs 39.28 +/- 3.48%, P <0.05). Besides, the VEGF expression in atherosclerotic plaque was also lower in Group C than that in Group B.


CONCLUSIONS
Rhodiola has the effects of inhibiting atherosclerosis formation, decreasing the VEGF expression and suppressing the angiogenesis in the plaque.
Shen
Wei
W
Department of Cardiology, Huashan Hospital, Fundan University, Shanghai.
Fan
Wei-Hu
WH
Shi
Hai-Ming
HM
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011897:Random Allocation; D029771:Rhodiola / Q000737:chemistry*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D010936:Plant Extracts; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A