Myocardial ischemia elicits a sympathoexcitatory response characterized by increase in blood pressure and sympathetic nerve activity.
Puerarin, a major active ingredient extracted from the traditional Chinese plant medicine Ge-gen, has been widely used in treatment of myocardial and
cerebral ischemia. However, little is known about the mechanism. Our study was aimed to explore the effect of
puerarin on sympathoexcitatory response induced by myocardial ischemic injury and possible relationship with
P2X3 receptor. Our results showed that
puerarin alleviated systolic blood pressure and heart rate, and decreased the up-regulated of P2X3
mRNA and
protein in SCG of myocardial ischemic rats. The amplitude of
ATP-activated currents of SCG neurons was much larger in myocardial ischemic group than that in control group.
Puerarin reduced
ATP-activated currents in myocardial ischemic group and control group, and the inhibiting effects of
puerarin in myocardial ischemic group were stronger than those in control group.
Puerarin also significantly inhibited
ATP-activated currents in HEK293 cells transfected with
P2X3 receptor. These results suggest that
puerarin can depress up-sympathoexcitatory response induced by
myocardial ischemia via acting on
P2X3 receptor in rat SCG to protect myocardium.