Protective effects of Carthamus tinctorius injection on isoprenaline-induced myocardial injury in rats.

Abstract

CONTEXT:

Carthamus tinctorius injection (CTI) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) specifically used for the treatment of cerebral ischemia and myocardial ischemia.

OBJECTIVE:

This study evaluated the protective effects of CTI on isoprenaline-induced acute myocardial ischemia (AMI) in rats and explored the underlying mechanisms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

(i) Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: control, myocardial ischemia model, and high-, low-dose of CTI groups (2.5 and 0.625 g/kg, respectively, i.p. for 5 days), and Xiang-Dan (20 g/kg) group (n = 10 in each group). AMI was induced by isoproterenol (5 mg/kg) by intraperitoneal injection. Assessment of electrocardiograms (ECG) was carried out. (ii) Another 40 rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, the concentration of IL-6 and TNF-α in serum were measured by radioimmunological assay; Bcl-2 and Bax protein expression were measured by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS:

CTI (2.5 and 0.625 g/kg) significantly inhibited the typical ECG S-T segment elevation, reduced concentration of IL-6 and TNF-α in serum, suppressed overexpression of Bax protein and also inhibited the reduction of Bcl-2 expression and markedly depressed the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION:

These findings demonstrate that CTI is cardioprotective against AMI in rats and is likely to related to decrease inflammatory response mediated by TNF-α and IL-6, down-regulate protein level of Bax and up-regulate that of Bcl-2 in the heart tissue.

• Authors: Li-Hong Wan, Jian Chen, Liang Li, Wen-Bi Xiong, Li-Ming Zhou
• Journal: Pharmaceutical biology (Pharm Biol) Vol. 49 Issue 11 Pg. 1204-9 (Nov 2011) ISSN: 1744-5116 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 22014268 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Bax protein, rat
• Cardiovascular Agents
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal
• Inflammation Mediators
• Interleukin-6
• Plant Preparations
• Protective Agents
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
• bcl-2-Associated X Protein
• xiangdan
• Isoproterenol

Topics

• Animals
• Apoptosis (drug effects)
• Cardiovascular Agents (administration & dosage, pharmacology)
• Carthamus tinctorius
• Disease Models, Animal
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal (pharmacology)
• Electrocardiography
• Female
• Inflammation Mediators (blood)
• Injections, Intraperitoneal
• Interleukin-6 (blood)
• Isoproterenol
• Male
• Myocardial Ischemia (diagnosis, metabolism, pathology, prevention & control)
• Myocardium (metabolism, pathology)
• Plant Preparations (administration & dosage, pharmacology)
• Plants, Medicinal
• Protective Agents (administration & dosage, pharmacology)
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 (metabolism)
• Rats
• Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• Time Factors
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (blood)
• bcl-2-Associated X Protein (metabolism)