title: Active components from Radix Scrophulariae inhibits the ventricular remodeling induced by hypertension in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the previous study, active extract of Radix Scrophularia (ACRS) demonstrated beneficial effects on ventricular remodeling induced by coronary artery ligation and lowered blood pressure in rats. And ACRS also exhibited the effect on lowering the blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). The aim of this study is to explore the effects of ACRS on ventricular remodeling in SHRs and underlying mechanisms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ACRS significantly lowered the blood pressure, decreased the heart mass indexes, inhibited the deposition of perivascular and interstitial, attenuated the accumulation of types I and III collagen, reduced the tissue angiotensin II, serum norepinephrine and tumor necrosis factor-α concentrations. The underlying mechanisms may be related to downregulating the mRNA expressions of collagen type I, transforming growth factor-β1 and angiotensin converting enzyme, suppressing the phosphorylation of extracellular signal regulated kinase 1/2, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK/SAPK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (p38 MAPK).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Continuous treatment of SHRs with ACRS for 21 weeks reduced blood pressure, myocardial hypertrophy and the amount of interstitial and perivascular collagen, which indicated that ACRS could prevent hypertensive ventricular remodeling. This can be attributed to suppression of the sympathetic nervous and renin angiotensin aldosterone system through the inhibition of ERK 1/2, JNK and p38 MAPK pathways.
authors.affiliation: Experiment Center for Science and Technology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai, 201203 People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chao Chao
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai, 201203 People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wei Liang
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Product Chemistry, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai, 201203 People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xi Min
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Product Chemistry, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai, 201203 People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yi Ming
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai, 201203 People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chang Xun
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Experiment Center for Science and Technology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai, 201203 People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiao Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Huang
keywords: Active component; Hypertension; Radix Scrophulariae; Ventricular remodeling