[Hematologic toxicity of Gynura segetum and effects on vascular endothelium in a rat model of hepatic veno-occlusive disease].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the effects ofGynura segetum in rats with hepatic veno-occlusive disease (HVOD).


METHODS
Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to a blank control group, one of three Gynura segetum treatment groups (low-dose group, 5.0 g/kg; mid-dose group, 10 g/kg; high-dose group, 20 g/kg), or a pseudo-drug group (10 g/kg of pseudo-ginseng). After 28 days of treatment, effects on white blood cell count, coagulation, secreted factors from vascular endothelium, and histopathology of the spleen were observed and inter-group differences were statistically assessed.


RESULTS
After the 4-week administration, all rats in the Gynura segetum treatment groups showed decrease in body weight, increases in numbers of leukocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes and eosinophils.decreases in platelets and platelet hematocrit, and increases in mean platelet volume and platelet distribution.In addition, the Gynura segetum treatments increased the prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, thrombin time, prothrombin ratio and international normalized ratio, but decreased the PT%, fibrinogen level and platelet aggregation.Serum levels of endothelin and nitric oxide were also elevated by the Gynura segetum treatments.All measured parameters showed significant differences from the control group (P less than 0.01 or less than 0.05).Finally, the splenic follicles were significantly reduced and the spleens showed an absence of germinal centers along with a large number of diffuse lymphocytes and reduced red pulp sinusoids.


CONCLUSIONS
The Gynura segetum treatment has some toxic effects; it can reduce platelet count and platelet hematocrit, inhibit blood clotting time and platelet aggregation, increase the secretion of factors from the vascular endothelium and disrupt spleen histology.
Xianju County Hospital of TCM, Taizhou 310053, China.
Junwei
J
Fang
Guohua
G
Zhang
Xianmu
X
Teng
Zhiqin
Z
Zhang
Jinhui
J
Pan
Qiyang
Q
Shou
Minli
M
Chen
D000818:Animals; D019659:Asteraceae; D001777:Blood Coagulation; D001792:Blood Platelets; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular; D006504:Hepatic Veno-Occlusive Disease; D010976:Platelet Count; D011517:Prothrombin Time; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley