title: Effect and Mechanism of QiShenYiQi Pill on Experimental Autoimmune Myocarditis Rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To observe the effect of QiShenYiQi pill (QSYQ) on experimental autoimmune myocarditis rats, and to explore its mechanism of action.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lewis rats underwent the injection of myocardial myosin mixed with Freund's complete adjuvant were randomized into 3 groups: model, valsartan, and QSYQ groups. Rats injected with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) mixed with Freund's complete adjuvant were used as the control group. Rats were euthanized at 4 and 8 weeks, and we weighed rat body mass, heart mass, and left ventricular mass. Myocardium sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Masson trichrome. Myocardial TGF-β1 and CTGF protein expression was detected by immunohistochemistry, and myocardial TGF-β1 and CTGF mRNA expression was detected by real-time qPCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  QSYQ reduced HMI and LVMI, as well as the histological score of hearts and CVF, which further decreased over time, and its effect was significantly greater than that of valsartan at 4 and 8 weeks. After 4 weeks, QSYQ inhibited the protein and mRNA expression of TGF-β1 and CTGF, and its effect on lowering CTGF was significantly greater than that of valsartan. In addition, after 8 weeks, QSYQ also inhibited the protein and mRNA expression of CTGF, whereas there was no significant difference in the expression of myocardial TGF-β1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides evidence that QSYQ can improve cardiac remodeling of experimental autoimmune myocarditis rats. It also effectively improved the degree of myocardial fibrosis, which is related to the mechanism of regulation of TGF-β1 CTGF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Shichao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: Graduate School, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Meifang
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Graduate School, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Graduate School, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medcine, Tianjin, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Graduate School, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medcine, Tianjin, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Graduate School, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medcine, Tianjin, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Xiaojing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medcine, Tianjin, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Junping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D009929:Organ Size; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C526316:CCN2 protein, rat; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; C528580:qishen yiqi; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor