Protective effects of steroids from Allium chinense against H2O2-induced oxidative stress in rat cardiac H9C2 cells.
Allium chinense, a traditional herbal medicine, has been used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases for hundreds of years. In this study, A. chinense steroids (ACSs) including three steroidal glycosides and their parent aglycones were isolated from the bulbs of A. chinense. For the first time, their cardioprotective effects were evaluated in cultured rat cardiac H9C2 cells by pretreatment with ACSs for 24 h before exposure to 0.2 mm H(2)O(2). The results showed the cell viability decreased markedly when H9C2 cells were incubated with 0.2 mm H(2)O(2) alone for 2 h, while the cell lipid peroxidation (estimated by the excessive production of nitric oxide and malondialdehyde) and intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) increased significantly. The addition of 20 microm (below the toxic concentration) of ACSs notably attenuated the cellular injury induced by H(2)O(2). The effects of ACSs in our experiments were similar to those of nimodipine, a clinically applied calcium channel blocker. Preliminary analysis of the structure-activity relationship indicated that ACSs with a spirostane-type skeleton exhibited stronger protection than that with a furostane-type skeleton, and glycosylation of the steroids could substantially lower the protective activities. The above results suggested the protective effects of steroids originated from A. chinense on the oxidative injury of H9C2 cells and ACSs may have potential for preventing cardiac injuries induced by oxidative stress.
Ren
Gang
G
Institute of Modern Chinese Herb Medicine, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
Qiao
Hong Xiang
HX
Yang
Jun
J
Zhou
Chang Xin
CX
D000490:Allium / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival; D006027:Glycosides / Q000494:pharmacology; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000633:toxicity; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D015394:Molecular Structure; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000187:drug effects*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D013256:Steroids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D006027:Glycosides; D013256:Steroids; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D002118:Calcium