title: Effects of Chinese herb medicine Radix Scrophulariae on ventricular remodeling.
abstract: The effects and mechanism of the extract of Radix Scrophulariae (ERS), a traditional Chinese herb, on experimental ventricular remodeling in rats was studied. Rats were separated randomly into 5 groups: sham, model, captopril (40 mg x kg(-1)) and ERS (8, 16 g x kg(-1)). The experimental ventricular remodeling was induced with ligating the left anterior descending branch of the coronary artery of the rats. The sham group was conducted the same procedure without ligation. After 4 weeks treatment with intragastric administration of the corresponding drugs, the left ventricular weight index (LVWI) and heart weight index (HWI) were determined. The concentrations of angiotensin II (Ang II) and hydroxyproline (Hyp) in myocardium were detected. Myocardium tissue was stained with HE and picric acid/Sirius red for cardiocyte cross-section area and collagen content measurements. Real-time RT-PCR was used to detect the gene expressions of AT1R, TNF-alpha and TGF-beta1 mRNA. ERS could significantly reduce the LVWI, HWI, decrease the content of Ang II, Hyp, diminish cardiocyte cross-section area and ameliorate collagen deposition. In addition, ERS could down regulate the gene expressions of AT1R, TNF-alpha and TGF-beta1 mRNA in myocardium. ERS has beneficial effect against ventricular remodeling. The mechanism may be related to decreasing the level of Ang II and cardiac fibrosis, modulating some gene expressions associated with cardiac hypertrophy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Wei-Liang
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Chang-Xun
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lü
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Shi-Jie
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000502:physiology; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000494:pharmacology; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D044140:Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D032266:Scrophularia / Q000737:chemistry*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D044140:Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D000804:Angiotensin II; D003094:Collagen; D006909:Hydroxyproline