title: X indening oral liquid improves cardiac function of rats with chronic cardiac failure via TGF-ß1/Smad3 and p38 MAPK pathway.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Xindening oral liquid (Xin) is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of chronic heart failure (CHF). However, the exact mechanisms related to its therapeutic effects against CHF remain unclear. In the present study, we investigate the effects of Xin on cardiac function in CHF rats and the possible mechanisms involved.
  
  
  METHODS
  Transverse aortic constriction (TAC) was conducted to induce a CHF rat model in this study. Sixty male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to six groups 28 days after TAC: sham; CHF model; Xin at concentrations of 5 ml/kg, 10 mL/kg, and 20 mL/kg; and QiLi 0.6 g/kg. After four weeks, the rats were treated with Xin (5, 10, or 20 mL/kg/d) for six weeks consecutively. At the end of the study, the cardiac function, heart weight index (HWI) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI), serum level of LDH, B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), cTnI and CK-MB, and collagen volume fraction were studied. The expression of transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1), drosophila mothers against decapentaplegic protein 3 (Smad3), and p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) were detected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that Xin treatment significantly improved cardiac function but decreased the serum level of LDH, BNP, cTnI, and CKMB of CHF rats. In addition, it reduced the HWI, LVMI, and collagen volume fraction compared with the model group. Xin treatment significantly improved cardiac function and attenuated cardiac fibrosis by suppressing the p38 MAPK and TGF-ß1/Smad3 signaling pathway in CHF rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggested that Xin might be a promising complementary treatment for CHF. More detailed experimental studies will be carried out in our subsequent research.
authors.forename: Yunliang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Changsheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The 152nd Central Hospital of PLA, Pingdingshan, Henan 467000-China. jszhao_cardio@126.com.
authors.forename: Jingsheng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Weiguo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xinwei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Zhengchen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D058671:Adrenergic beta-1 Receptor Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D011217:Practolol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000187:drug effects; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D058671:Adrenergic beta-1 Receptor Antagonists; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D011217:Practolol