title: Amygdalin inhibits angiogenesis in the cultured endothelial cells of diabetic rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Angiogenesis contributes to different physiological and pathological conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate for the first time the antiangiogenic effects of amygdalin on the cultured endothelial cells of diabetic rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 20 streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were divided into two equal groups of control and amygdalin-treated animals. Eight weeks after the induction of diabetes, amygdalin was injected intraperitoneally (3 mg/kg) to the rats of the treatment group. One day later, rats were sacrificed; the aortic arteries were excised and cut as 2 mm rings. Each aortic ring was incubated in a cell-culture well for 7 days. The process of angiogenesis was monitored by counting the number of microvessels and primary microtubules in each well.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Optic microscopy showed proliferation and migration of new endothelial cells to the fibrin gels. The endothelial cells produced primary microtubules which gradually made several branches and finally made a vascular matrix. The number of the primary microtubules and microvessels were significantly lower in the amygdalin-treated vs. control group (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Therefore, amygdalin exerts inhibitory effects on angiogenesis in aortic rings of diabetic rats and may pave a new way for treatment of unfavorable angiogenic conditions.
authors: Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Hossein
authors: H
authors: Mirmiranpour
authors: Shahnaz
authors: S
authors: Khaghani
authors: Ali
authors: A
authors: Zandieh
authors: O Omid
authors: OO
authors: Khalilzadeh
authors: Siavash
authors: S
authors: Gerayesh-Nejad
authors: Afsaneh
authors: A
authors: Morteza
authors: Alireza
authors: A
authors: Esteghamati
mesh_terms: D000678:Amygdalin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003486:Cyanides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D003486:Cyanides; D000678:Amygdalin