title: Effects of Shenshao Decoction on the inflammatory response in the aorta of a rat atherosclerotic model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of Shenshao Decoction on the inflammatory status: in the aorta in a rat model of atherosclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into: five groups, 8 rats in each group: control untreated group, atherosclerosis group, atherosclerosis with Shenshao Decoction (low dose) group, atherosclerosis with Shenshao Decoction (high dose) group, atherosclerosis with simvastatin group. To stimulate atherosclerosis, the rats were fed vitamin D3 and a high-cholesterol diet. Four weeks later, treatments were maintained for eight weeks. Morphology changes were investigated by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were obtained by enzymatic assays with use of an automated biochemical analyzer. The expression of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) were detected by enzyme-enzymelinked immunosorbent assay. The expression levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-17A, and IL-23 were detected by linked immunoblotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Shenshao Decoction treatment decreased TC, TG, LDL-C and MDA and increased: GSH-PX levels (P<0.01). Compared with the control group, IL-1β, IL-17A, and IL-23 were lower in the high and <low dose Shenshao Decoction groups and the simvastatin group (P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Shenshao Decoction: could attenuate the progression of aortal atherosclerotic plaques by inhibiting the inflammatory response in a rat atherosclerotic model.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province 050000, China.
authors.forename: Zhong-Wen
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Xiao-Ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.forename: Song-Hui
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000378:metabolism; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D053759:Interleukin-23 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D020381:Interleukin-17; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D053759:Interleukin-23; D014280:Triglycerides; C588017:shenshao; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002784:Cholesterol; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase