The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of extract of Panax quinquefolius and Corydalis tuber (
EPC) on platelet activation and the hypercoagulable state in rats with acute
myocardial infarction (AMI). The MI model in Wistar rats was induced by coronary artery
ligation.
Sham surgery was performed as a control. The surviving rats that underwent MI surgery were divided into control (administered
normal saline),
metoprolol (9 mg/kg) and low-, moderate- and high-dose
EPC groups (0.54, 1.08 g/kg and 2.16 g/kg, respectively). Saline,
metoprolol and
EPC were administered by gastrogavage for two consecutive weeks. The morphological changes of the myocardium were assessed by
hematoxylin and
eosin and
nitroblue tetrazolium staining. Serum
von Willebrand factor (vWF),
D-dimer (DD),
platelet membrane glycoproteins IIb-IIIa (GPIIb-IIIa) and CD62P levels were assessed using
enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay.
EPC attenuated the pathological changes of the myocardium. High-dose
EPC decreased the serum concentration of vWF when compared with control group. Moderate and high doses of
EPC decreased the DD and GPIIb-IIIa levels, and the CD62P level was gradually decreased with
EPC dose escalation. The results therefore demonstrated that
EPC protects the myocardium by inhibiting platelet activation and improving the hypercoagulable state in a rat model of AMI.