title: Rosmarinic acid administration attenuates diabetes-induced vascular dysfunction of the rat aorta.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Oxidative stress as well as inflammation processes are engaged in diabetic vascular complications. Rosmarinic acid, a natural phenol antioxidant carboxylic acid, was found to have multiple biological activity, including anti-inflammatory and antitumour effects, which are a consequence of its inhibition of the inflammatory processes and of reactive oxygen species scavenging. The aim of this work was to study effects of rosmarinic acid administration on vascular impairment induced by experimental diabetes in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diabetes was induced by streptozocin (3 × 30 mg/kg daily, i.p.) in Wistar rats. Rosmarinic acid was administered orally (50 mg/kg daily). Ten weeks after streptozocin administration, the aorta was excised for functional studies, evaluation by electron microscopy and real time PCR analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the aorta of diabetic rats, decreased endothelium-dependent relaxation was accompanied by overexpression of interleukin-1β, tumour necrosis factor-α, preproendothelin-1 and endothelin converting enzyme-1. Structural alterations in the endothelium, detected by electron microscopy, indicated aortic dysfunction caused by diabetes. The diabetes-induced aortic disorders were prevented by rosmarinic acid administration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rosmarinic acid protected aortic endothelial function and ultrastructure against diabetes-induced damage. Both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of rosmarinic acid seemed to participate in the mechanism of this protection.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovak Republic. exfarosa@savba.sk
authors.forename: Ruzena
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sotnikova
authors.forename: Ludmila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Okruhlicova
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vlkovicova
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Navarova
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gajdacova
authors.forename: Lenka
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pivackova
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fialova
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Krenek
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism; D002934:Cinnamates / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053630:Depsides / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D000072396:Endothelin-Converting Enzymes; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D019686:Lamiaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects; D000097123:Rosmarinic Acid
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; D002934:Cinnamates; D053630:Depsides; D019332:Endothelin-1; D000072396:Endothelin-Converting Enzymes; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000097123:Rosmarinic Acid