title: Icariin Inhibits Pulmonary Hypertension Induced by Monocrotaline through Enhancement of NO/cGMP Signaling Pathway in Rats.
abstract: It has been reported that icariin (ICA) increased contents of nitric oxide (NO) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) by improving expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and inhibition of phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5). In addition, dysfunction of the NO/cGMP pathway may play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension (PH). In this study, the potential protective effects of ICA on PH induced by monocrotaline (MCT, 50 mg/kg) singly subcutaneous injection were investigated and the possible mechanisms involved in NO/cGMP pathway were explored in male Sprague Dawley rats. The results showed that ICA (20, 40, and 80 mg/kg/d) treatment by intragastric administration could significantly ameliorate PH and upregulate the expression of eNOS gene and downregulate the expression of PDE5 gene in MCT-treated rats. Both ICA (40 mg/kg/d) and L-arginine (200 mg/kg/d), a precursor of NO as positive control, notably increased the contents of NO and cGMP in lung tissue homogenate, which were inversed by treatment with (N) G-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester (L-NAME), a NOS inhibitor, and L-NAME-treatment could also inhibit the protective effects of ICA (40 mg/kg/d) on mean pulmonary artery pressure and artery remodeling and tends to inhibit right ventricle hypertrophy index. In summary, ICA is effective in protecting against MCT-induced PH in rats through enhancement of NO/cGMP signaling pathway in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Key Lab of Basic Pharmacology of Education Ministry, Zunyi Medical College, No. 201 Dalian Road, Zunyi, Guizhou 563099, China.
authors.forename: Li-Sheng
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Key Lab of Basic Pharmacology of Education Ministry, Zunyi Medical College, No. 201 Dalian Road, Zunyi, Guizhou 563099, China.
authors.forename: Yun-Mei
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical College, No. 149 Dalian Road, Zunyi, Guizhou 563099, China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Key Lab of Basic Pharmacology of Education Ministry, Zunyi Medical College, No. 201 Dalian Road, Zunyi, Guizhou 563099, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Key Lab of Basic Pharmacology of Education Ministry, Zunyi Medical College, No. 201 Dalian Road, Zunyi, Guizhou 563099, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Xia
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Key Lab of Basic Pharmacology of Education Ministry, Zunyi Medical College, No. 201 Dalian Road, Zunyi, Guizhou 563099, China.
authors.forename: Dan-Li
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Yang