title: The chinese herbal decoction danggui buxue tang inhibits angiogenesis in a rat model of liver fibrosis.
abstract: In this study, we investigated the anti-angiogenic effect of the Chinese herbal decoction Danggui Buxue Tang (DBT; Radix Astragali and Radix Angelicae sinensis in 5 : 1 ratio) in a rat model of liver fibrosis, in order to elucidate its mechanisms of action against liver fibrosis. Liver fibrosis was induced with CCl(4) and high-fat food for 6 weeks, and the rats were treated with oral doses of DBT (6 g raw herbs/kg/d) and N-Acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC; 0.1 g/kg/d). The results showed that both DBT and NAC attenuated liver fibrosis and neo-angiogenesis. Furthermore, DBT and NAC improved SOD activity but decreased MDA content and 8-OH-dG in fibrotic livers, with DBT being more effective than NAC. DBT decreased the expression of VEGF, Ang1 and TGF-β1 and their signaling mediators, whereas NAC had no effect on VEGF and VEGFR2 expression. Both DBT and NAC reduced HIF-1α gene and protein expression in fibrotic livers, with DBT being more effective. These data clearly demonstrate that the anti-fibrotic properties of DBT are related to its ability to inhibit angiogenesis and its anti-angiogenic mechanisms are associated with improving oxidative stress, regulating the expression and signaling of angiogenic factors, and especially modulating HIF-1α in fibrotic livers.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Liver Diseases, ShuGuang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Zhimin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Qinglan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yanyan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Tai-Ping
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Chenghai
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu