The heart-protective mechanism of Qishaowuwei formula on murine viral myocarditis induced by CVB3.
OBJECTIVE
The heart-protective effect and mechanism of Qishaowuwei formula (QSW), a Traditional Chinese Medicine formula composed of Radix Astragali, Radix Paeoniae Rubra and Fructus Schisandrae was investigated on murine model of viral myocarditis (VMC) induced by Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3).


METHODS
Mice were randomly divided into infected control group, QSW high dose group, QSW medium dose group, QSW low dose group and Vitamin C plus Ribavirin treatment group. 50 mice were included in each group. The day of virus inoculation was defined as day 0 and the drug treatment continued once a day for 14 days. Mice were sacrificed on days 3, 7, 14, 21 postinoculation (p.i.). The histopathological changes of myocardium, CVB3 RNA copies in the myocardium, cardiomycytic apoptosis, the serum level of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and maleic dialdehyde (MDA) and the phenotype of T lymphocytes subsets in peripheral blood was analyzed.


RESULTS
QSW treatment significantly increase the survival rate (p<0.05) in VMC model. Histopathology and flow cytometry inspection revealed low ratio of cardiomyocytes necrosis and apoptosis in QSW treated mice with dose dependent manner. The cardiomyocytic ultra-structure observed by transmission electron microscope also supported the above results. The ameliorated tissue damage was consistent with reduced CVB3 copy numbers detected by real-time PCR in the myocardium of QSW treated mice. The antioxidant effect of QSW was proved by elevated activity of SOD and reduced level of MDA in the serum. Furthermore, the disturbed balance of CD4+ and CD8+ subsets in peripheral blood was restored.


CONCLUSIONS
These results demonstrated QSW had potent protective effect against CVB3-induced heart injury and this effect might be mediated by its inhibition on viral replication, antioxidant activity and immunoregulation mechanism.
Fengqin
Liu
L
Pediatric Department of Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong University, 324 Jing Wu Road, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China.
Yulin
Wang
W
Xiaoxin
Zhu
Z
Youpeng
Jin
J
Yan
Chen
C
Qing-qing
Wang
W
Hong
Chang
C
Jia
Song
S
Lei
Huang
H
D000818:Animals; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003384:Coxsackievirus Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D029822:Enterovirus B, Human / Q000187:drug effects / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D011897:Random Allocation
D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D010936:Plant Extracts