Protective effects of Mu-Fang-Ji-Tang against myocardial injury in a murine model of congestive heart failure induced by viral myocarditis.

Abstract

The effects of Mu-Fang-Ji-Tang (TJ-36), a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, were studied in a murine model of congestive heart failure induced by viral myocarditis. In the group of animals treated with Mu-Fang-Ji-Tang in a dose of 1.5g/kg/day, the heart weight to body weight ratio was significantly lower than in the control group (p<0.01). Histopathological grades were also significantly lower in the Mu-Fang-Ji-Tang treated group than in the placebo group (p<0.05). Furthermore, survival was increased in the Mu-Fang-Ji-Tang treated group, versus the control group (p<0.05). In vitro, murine J774A.1 macrophages inoculated with encephalomyocarditis virus produced a significantly greater amount of nitrites compared to non-activated macrophages. Mu-Fang-Ji-Tang added to the cells (25, 50, 75, 100 microg/ml) concomitantly with the encephalomyocarditis virus inhibited nitrite formation in a concentration-dependent manner. Mu-Fang-Ji-Tang showed a protective effect against myocardial injury leading to congestive heart failure in this animal model.

• Authors: W Z Wang, A Matsumori, Y Matoba, S Matsui, Y Sato, T Hirozane, T Shioi, S Sasayama
• Journal: Life sciences (Life Sci) Vol. 62 Issue 13 Pg. 1139-46 ( 1998) ISSN: 0024-3205 [Print] Netherlands
• PMID: 9519794 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Drugs, Chinese Herbal
• Nitrites
• moku-boi-to
• Nitric Oxide

Topics

• Animals
• Body Weight (drug effects)
• Cell Line
• Disease Models, Animal
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal (therapeutic use)
• Heart Failure (etiology, metabolism, prevention & control)
• Macrophages (drug effects, metabolism)
• Male
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred DBA
• Monocytes (drug effects, metabolism)
• Myocarditis (complications, metabolism, virology)
• Myocardium (pathology)
• Nitric Oxide (biosynthesis)
• Nitrites (metabolism)
• Organ Size (drug effects)