title: Effects of Shenlian extract on experimental atherosclerosis in ApoE-deficient mice based on ultrasound biomicroscopy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study directly and dynamically investigated the effects of SL extract (i.e., a combination of Radix Salviae miltiorrhizae and Andrographis paniculata extract) on plaque progression in vivo by high resolution ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM).
  
  
  METHODS
  An atherosclerosis model was established by placing a perivascular collar on the right common carotid artery in apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE-/-) mice. Thickness, plaque area and local blood flow were observed by UBM, pathological changes were observed by histochemical staining, and lipid levels were measured by respective commercially available kits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the model group, the SL extract groups showed reduced wall thickness of the aortic arch (GC: P = 0.001, P = 0.002, and P < 0.001; LC: P < 0.001, P < 0.001, and P < 0.001; BC: P = 0.027, P = 0.017, and P = 0.003; respectively), which presented with retarded plaque progression of the cartoid artery with concordantly increased blood flow (P = 0.002 and P < 0.001) as visualized in vivo by UBM. Histological analysis confirmed the reduction of carotid atherosclerosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The SL extract inhibited the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in an ApoE-/-mice model by UBM analysis, and did so by effects that ameliorated local blood flow and improved blood lipid levels.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No.16, Dongzhimen Nei Nanxiao Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100700, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No.16, Dongzhimen Nei Nanxiao Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100700, China.
authors.forename: Xu-Cen
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No.16, Dongzhimen Nei Nanxiao Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100700, China.
authors.forename: Ya-Jie
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No.16, Dongzhimen Nei Nanxiao Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100700, China.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No.16, Dongzhimen Nei Nanxiao Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100700, China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No.16, Dongzhimen Nei Nanxiao Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100700, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Gang
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No.16, Dongzhimen Nei Nanxiao Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100700, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No.16, Dongzhimen Nei Nanxiao Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100700, China.
authors.forename: Wei-Yan
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No.16, Dongzhimen Nei Nanxiao Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100700, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Xi
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Kan
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No.16, Dongzhimen Nei Nanxiao Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100700, China.
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No.16, Dongzhimen Nei Nanxiao Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100700, China.
authors.forename: He-Fei
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No.16, Dongzhimen Nei Nanxiao Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100700, China. xxzhu@icmm.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Xiao-Xin
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No.16, Dongzhimen Nei Nanxiao Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100700, China. liyujie000000@163.com.
authors.forename: Yu-Jie
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D035685:Andrographis / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001775:Blood Circulation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D033401:Microscopy, Acoustic; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal
keywords: Andrographis paniculata; Atherosclerosis; Hemodynamics; Plaque; Radix Salviae miltiorrhizae; Ultrasound biomicroscopy