title: Anti-inflammatory effects of triptolide improve left ventricular function in a rat model of diabetic cardiomyopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Given the importance of inflammation in the onset and progression of diabetic cardiomyopathy, we investigated the potential protective effects of triptolide, an anti-inflammatory agent, in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model and in H9c2 rat cardiac cells exposed to high glucose.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Diabetic rats were treated with triptolide (100, 200, or 400 μg/kg/day respectively) for 6 weeks. At the end of this study, after cardiac function measurements were performed, rats were sacrificed and their hearts were harvested for further histologic and molecular biologic analysis. Enhanced activity and expression of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) p65 in diabetic hearts were associated with increased inflammatory response, as demonstrated by increased pro-inflammatory cytokines, cell adhesion molecules and invading inflammatory cells, as well as increased fibrosis, in line with impaired left ventricular function. Triptolide attenuated these morpho-functional alterations. Furthermore, triptolide (20 ng/ml) also attenuated high glucose-induced inflammation in H9c2 rat cardiac cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data demonstrate that anti-inflammatory effects of triptolide involving the NF-κB signaling pathway can improve left ventricular function under diabetic conditions, suggesting triptolide treatment might be beneficial in diabetic cardiomyopathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P.R.China.
authors.forename: He-Ling
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Zhong-Shu
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Kan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D058065:Diabetic Cardiomyopathies / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004852:Epoxy Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D010616:Phenanthrenes / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D004224:Diterpenes; D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D010616:Phenanthrenes; C001899:triptolide