title: Anti-atherosclerotic effect of geniposidic acid in a rabbit model and related cellular mechanisms.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Geniposidic acid, one of the main active ingredients in Gardenia jasminoides J. Ellis (Rubiaceae), may also possess important pharmacological activities for cardiovascular disorders similar to other derivatives, such as geniposide.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate its anti-atherosclerosis (anti-AS) effect, the related pharmacological activities and possible cellular mechanisms were studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty rabbits were randomly divided into normal control group, model control group, and geniposidic acid subgroups. In the AS model, its effects on the intima/media thickness ratio and aortic morphology were observed. In the study of primary cultured endothelial cells (ECs) and human umbilical artery smooth muscle cells (HUASMCs), its activities on both ECs and HUASMCs proliferation, HUASMCs' migration were also studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the model control group, the plaque area, intima/media thickness ratio, and intimal foam cells number in geniposidic acid (80, 160, and 240 mg/kg) subgroups were significantly improved (p < 0.05). By HE staining, the activities of geniposidic acid on relieving ECs shedding and improving aortic morphology disorders were also demonstrated. From the results of CCK-8 testing, only 100 μg/ml geniposidic acid performed significant inhibition on SMC proliferation. The relative IC50 of geniposidic acid on SMC inhibition was 87.73 μg/ml. Geniposide acid also showed promotion effect on ECs proliferation, and the related ED50 of geniposidic acid was 86.05 μg/ml. Besides, only 50 and 100 μg/ml geniposidic acid showed obvious inhibition on SMC migration from the upper chamber (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effects of geniposidic acid on protecting vascular endothelium and reversing plaque formation in an atherosclerotic model were demonstrated.
authors: The Second Department of Cardiology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University , Zhengzhou , China .
authors: Yu
authors: Y
authors: Gao
authors: Zi-yu
authors: ZY
authors: Chen
authors: Xue
authors: X
authors: Liang
authors: Cong
authors: C
authors: Xie
authors: Yong-feng
authors: YF
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D032062:Gardenia / Q000737:chemistry; D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells; D006801:Humans; D057888:Iridoid Glucosides / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D015394:Molecular Structure; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D011817:Rabbits; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D057888:Iridoid Glucosides; C058966:geniposidic acid
keywords: Anti-atherosclerosis; endothelial cells; rabbit aortic morphology; smooth muscle cells