title: Effects of total glucosides from paeony (Paeonia lactiflora Pall) roots on experimental atherosclerosis in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Total glucosides of paeony (TGP), compounds extracted from the roots of Paeonia lactiflora Pall, have been used as an anti-inflammatory drug for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in China. Inflammation plays a critical role in the development of atherosclerotic vascular disease. Risk of cardiovascular diseases is significantly higher in patients with RA than in normal population. It has a great significance to study the effects of TGP on atherosclerosis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of TGP on atherosclerosis induced by excessive administration of vitamin D and cholesterol in rats and study the mechanisms involved.
  
  
  METHODS
  Atherosclerosis was induced by excessive administration of vitamin D and cholesterol in rats. TGP was intragastrically administered for 15 weeks. The serum concentrations of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) were measured by automatic biochemistry analyzer. Apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) were determined by immunoturbidimetry method, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. The morphological changes of aorta were observed with optical microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to controls, TGP significantly lowered the serum level of TC, TG, LDL-C, ApoB, TNF-alpha, IL-6 and CRP, increased the ratios of HDL-C/LDL-C and ApoA1/ApoB, decreased the intima-media thickness (IMT) of abdominal aortal wall and improved the morphological change of the aorta.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TGP may attenuate the development of atherosclerotic disease. The beneficial effects are associated with its lowering blood lipids and inhibiting the expression of inflammatory cytokines.
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cailun Road, 201203 Shanghai, PR China.
authors: Jing
authors: J
authors: Li
authors: Chang Xun
authors: CX
authors: Chen
authors: Yun Hui
authors: YH
authors: Shen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005960:Glucosides / Q000032:analysis / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D029596:Paeonia / Q000737:chemistry*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D005960:Glucosides; D008055:Lipids