title: Compound Astragalus and Salvia miltiorrhiza extract suppresses rabbits' hypertrophic scar by modulating the TGF-β/Smad signal.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hypertrophic scar is a fibro-proliferative disease. Our previous studies demonstrate that compound Astragalus and Salvia miltiorrhiza extract (CASE) inhibits proliferation and invasion in keloid fibroblasts.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of CASE on hypertrophic scar.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rabbits were divided into the control, model and three dosage groups of CASE (0.94, 1.88, 3.76%). An animal model of hypertrophic scar was established and treated with CASE ointment or ointment base. The histopathological detection by hematoxylin & eosin and Masson's trichrome staining and protein expression of scars by Western blot were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The hydroxyproline content was decreased under CASE treatment. Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) protein expression increased in the model group while it decreased under CASE treatment. The elevated expression of Smad4 protein was decreased under CASE treatment. Additionally, CASE promoted Smad7 protein expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CASE could inhibit formation of hypertrophic scar by modulating TGF-β/Smad signal and may be useful for the treatment of hyperplastic scars.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Institute of Natural Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jiemei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boye
authors.forename: Yufeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D027883:Astragalus Plant; D017439:Cicatrix, Hypertrophic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D027561:Salvia miltiorrhiza; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D051901:Smad4 Protein / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051906:Smad7 Protein / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D010936:Plant Extracts; D051901:Smad4 Protein; D051906:Smad7 Protein; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta