title: Longxuetongluo capsule inhibits atherosclerosis progression in high-fat diet-induced ApoE-/-mice by improving endothelial dysfunction.
abstract: Chinese dragon's blood has been used to treat blood stasis for thousands of years. Its total phenolic extract (Longxuetongluo capsule, LTC) is used for the treatment of ischemic stroke; however, its protective effect against atherosclerosis remains poorly understood. This paper aims to investigate the antiatherosclerotic effect of LTC and the underlying mechanisms in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced ApoE-/-mice.
  
  
  
  The levels of plasma lipid and areas of atherosclerotic lesions in the aortic sinus in ApoE-/-mice were evaluated. The effect of LTC on the nitric oxide (NO) production in oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was determined. The adhesion of monocytes to ox-LDL-stimulated HUVECs was further studied.
  
  
  
  LTC at low, medium, and high doses markedly decreased the atherosclerotic lesion areas of the aortic sinus in HFD-induced ApoE-/-mice by 26.4% (p < 0.05), 30.1% (p < 0.05), and 46.5% (p < 0.01), respectively, although it did not improve the dyslipidemia. Furthermore, LTC restored the diminished NO production of ox-LDL-stimulated HUVECs (p < 0.001) and inhibited the adhesion between monocytes and endothelial cells (p < 0.01). LTC appeared to alleviate ox-LDL-stimulated dysfunction of HUVECs, and inhibit the adhesion of monocytes to HUVECs via the MAPK/IKK/IκB/NF-κB signaling pathway, thus decrease atherosclerotic lesions in the aortic sinus in HFD-induced ApoE-/-mice.
  
  
  
  These findings suggest the potential of LTC for use as an effective agent against atherosclerosis.
authors: Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China.
authors: Jiao
authors: J
authors: Zheng
authors: Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China; School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100102, China.
authors: Binglin
authors: B
authors: Liu
authors: Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China; School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100102, China.
authors: Qixing
authors: Q
authors: Lun
authors: Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China; School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100102, China.
authors: Xiaopan
authors: X
authors: Gu
authors: Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China; School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100102, China.
authors: Bo
authors: B
authors: Pan
authors: Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China.
authors: Yunfang
authors: Y
authors: Zhao
authors: National Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical New Technology for Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Lianyungang 222001, China.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Xiao
authors: Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China. Electronic address: drlj666@163.com.
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Li
authors: Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China. Electronic address: pengfeitu@163.com.
authors: Pengfei
authors: P
authors: Tu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D059305:Diet, High-Fat; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D012850:Sinus of Valsalva / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D016328:NF-kappa B; C000624399:longxuetongluo; C099252:oxidized low density lipoprotein; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C496314:NOS3 protein, human; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
keywords: Anti-atherosclerosis; Chinese dragon's blood; Endothelial dysfunction; Longxuetongluo capsule