Traditional Chinese medication Tongxinluo dose-dependently enhances stability of vulnerable plaques: a comparison with a high-dose simvastatin therapy.
This study was carried out to test the hypothesis that Tongxinluo (TXL) as a Chinese herbal medicine enhances stability of vulnerable plaque dose dependently via lipid-lowering and anti-inflammation effects, similar to a high-dose simvastatin therapy. After abdominal aortic balloon injury, 75 rabbits were fed a 1% cholesterol diet for 10 wk and were then divided into five groups for 8-wk treatment: control group, low-dose TXL group, moderate-dose TXL group, high-dose TXL group, and high-dose simvastatin group. At the end of week 16, an adenovirus containing p53 was injected into the abdominal aortic plaques. Two weeks later, plaque rupture was induced by pharmacological triggering. The incidence of plaque rupture in all treatment groups (14.3%, 7.1%, 7.7%, and 7.1%) was significantly lower than that in control group (73.3%; P>0.01). TXL dose-dependently lowered serum lipid levels and inhibited systemic inflammation. Corrected acoustic intensity and fibrous cap thickness of the aortic plaques were significantly increased, whereas plaque area, plaque burden, vulnerable index, and expression of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) receptor 1, matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP-1), MMP-3, tissue inhibitor of MMP 1, and NF-kappaB in plaques were markedly reduced in all treatment groups when compared with the control group. Similar to high-dose simvastatin group, high-dose TXL group exhibited a low serum level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and ox-LDL, a low expression level of systemic and local inflammatory factors and a low plaque vulnerability index, with no differences in the incidence of plaque rupture among all treatment groups. TXL dose-dependently enhances the stability of vulnerable plaques and prevents plaques from rupture. Simvastatin and TXL offer similar protection in terms of lipid-lowering, anti-inflammation, and antioxidation effects.
Zhang
Lei
L
The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education, Shandong University Qilu Hospital, Jinan, No. 107, Wen Hua Xi Road, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, PR China.
Liu
Yan
Y
Lu
Xiao Ting
XT
Wu
Yi Ling
YL
Zhang
Cheng
C
Ji
Xiao Ping
XP
Wang
Rong
R
Liu
Chun Xi
CX
Feng
Jin Bo
JB
Jiang
Hong
H
Xu
Xin Sheng
XS
Zhao
Yu Xia
YX
Zhang
Yun
Y
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002404:Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional; D014757:Viper Venoms
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D008055:Lipids; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D014757:Viper Venoms; C513941:tongxinluo; D019821:Simvastatin