title: Extract of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi root exerts protection against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.
abstract: Ischemic heart disease is a major cause of death in the world. Common therapies, such as primary coronary angioplasty and thrombolysis, are applied to restore blood supply to the heart, limit infarct size and reduce mortality. However, the restoration of blood supply would generate reactive oxygen species in damaged sites of the myocardium, intensifying the damage to the cardiac tissues. Radix Scutellariae baicalensis (Huangqin) is a well-known herb in traditional Chinese medicine with high antioxidant power. In this study, extract of the dry root of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (Sb) was confirmed to have a high content of flavonoids and phenolic compounds. The cardioprotective effects of the Sb extracts (3, 30 and 300 mg/kg) were evaluated in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injuried rats. The results showed that animals that had received five-day pretreatment of the Sb extract (30 mg/kg) had a significant reduction in myocardial infarct size and a marked increase in the activity of catalase in the liver. The Sb extract could additionally enhance acetylcholine-induced vasorelaxation. It was proposed that the Sb extract exerted its cardioprotection by stimulating the catalase activity and improving vascular elasticity.
authors: State Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine and Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong.
authors: Enoch
authors: E
authors: Chan
authors: Xing-Xian
authors: XX
authors: Liu
authors: De-Jian
authors: DJ
authors: Guo
authors: Yiu-Wa
authors: YW
authors: Kwan
authors: George Pak-Heng
authors: GP
authors: Leung
authors: Simon Ming-Yuen
authors: SM
authors: Lee
authors: Shun-Wan
authors: SW
authors: Chan
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018517:Plant Roots; D059808:Polyphenols / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D031364:Scutellaria baicalensis / Q000737:chemistry; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D059808:Polyphenols; C499814:Scutellaria baicalensis extract; D002374:Catalase; D000109:Acetylcholine