Protective effects of Carthamus tinctorius injection on isoprenaline-induced myocardial injury in rats.
BACKGROUND
Carthamus tinctorius injection (CTI) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) specifically used for the treatment of cerebral ischemia and myocardial ischemia.


OBJECTIVE
This study evaluated the protective effects of CTI on isoprenaline-induced acute myocardial ischemia (AMI) in rats and explored the underlying mechanisms.


METHODS
(i) Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: control, myocardial ischemia model, and high-, low-dose of CTI groups (2.5 and 0.625 g/kg, respectively, i.p. for 5 days), and Xiang-Dan (20 g/kg) group (n = 10 in each group). AMI was induced by isoproterenol (5 mg/kg) by intraperitoneal injection. Assessment of electrocardiograms (ECG) was carried out. (ii) Another 40 rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, the concentration of IL-6 and TNF-α in serum were measured by radioimmunological assay; Bcl-2 and Bax protein expression were measured by immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
CTI (2.5 and 0.625 g/kg) significantly inhibited the typical ECG S-T segment elevation, reduced concentration of IL-6 and TNF-α in serum, suppressed overexpression of Bax protein and also inhibited the reduction of Bcl-2 expression and markedly depressed the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings demonstrate that CTI is cardioprotective against AMI in rats and is likely to related to decrease inflammatory response mediated by TNF-α and IL-6, down-regulate protein level of Bax and up-regulate that of Bcl-2 in the heart tissue.
Department of Pharmacology, West China School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Li-Hong
LH
Wan
Jian
J
Chen
Liang
L
Li
Wen-Bi
WB
Xiong
Li-Ming
LM
Zhou
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D031187:Carthamus tinctorius; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D007545:Isoproterenol; D008297:Male; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
C494828:Bax protein, rat; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D015850:Interleukin-6; D028321:Plant Preparations; D020011:Protective Agents; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; C548756:xiangdan; D007545:Isoproterenol