Our previous study showed that Kangen-karyu extract protected against cellular senescence by reducing oxidative damage through the inhibition of reactive oxygen species generation and regulation of the antioxidative status. Although these findings suggest that Kangen-karyu could delay the aging process, the mechanisms responsible for protection against aging have rarely been elucidated. Therefore, this study was focussed on the mechanisms responsible for the anti-aging activity of Kangen-karyu extract using hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2))-induced human diploid fibroblasts, a well-established experimental model of cellular aging. Kangen-karyu extract exerted a protective effect against the morphological changes induced by H(2)O(2) treatment and inhibited senescence-associated beta-galactosidase activity. In addition, the beneficial effects of Kangen-karyu extract on cell viability and lifespan indicated that Kangen-karyu extract could delay the cellular aging process. The observation that Kangen-karyu extract prevented nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) translocation in response to oxidative stress suggested that Kangen-karyu exerted its anti-aging effect through NF-kappaB modulation and prevention of H(2)O(2)-induced overexpression of haem oxygenase-1 protein. Moreover, pretreatment with Kangen-karyu extract reduced overexpression of bax protein and prevented the mitochondrial membrane potential decline, suggesting that Kangen-karyu extract may protect mitochondria from mitochondrial oxidative stress and dysfunction. These findings indicate that Kangen-karyu is a promising potential anti-aging agent that may delay, or normalize, the aging process by virtue of its protective activity against oxidative stress-related conditions.

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As indicated in ancient Chinese medical books, Corydalis yanhusuo has therapeutic effects on cardiovascular diseases. The analgesic effect of this plant has been fully elucidated, and l-tetrahydropalmatine has been shown to be the main active principle. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate its protective effects in a rat heart failure model. Rats were subjected to coronary artery ligation, and orally administered with ethanolic extract of Corydalis yanhusuo 50, 100, or 200 mg kg(-1) daily, from the 7th day after surgery. We measured cardiac function, plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), relative heart and lung weights, infarct size and ventricular dilatation after treatment for 8 weeks. Administration with Corydalis yanhusuo led to a significant reduction in infarct size and improvement in cardiac function as demonstrated by lower left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) and elevated +/-dp/dt(max). We also found that Corydalis yanhusuo significantly reduced left ventricular (LV)/body weight ratio, lung/body weight ratio and significantly inhibited neurohormonal activation. Taken together, this study indicated that Corydalis yanhusuo exerted salutary effects on heart failure induced by myocardial infarction in rats.

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The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the effect of an extract from Corydalis yanhusuo W.T., a Chinese herbal medicine, on ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and to determine the mechanism(s) involved. In rats, the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery was occluded for 30 min and then reperfused for 6 h. 0.5% carboxymethyl cellulose sodium was used as a vehicle (I/R control group) and Corydalis yanhusuo rhizoma extract (I/R + CY 200, 100 mg/kg groups) were given. Infarct size and hemodynamic parameters were measured. Apoptosis was detected quantitatively by the terminal transferase dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) method and confirmed by DNA laddering on agarose gel. The expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and pro-apoptotic Bax proteins was visualized by western blot analysis. In contrast to the I/R control group, administration with CY 200 mg/kg resulted in a significant reduction in the infarct size and an improvement in heart function as evidenced by higher LVSP and +/-dp/dtmax. TUNEL-positive cells in the ischemic myocardium were also significantly reduced in the I/R + CY 200, 100 mg/kg groups, consistent with little DNA laddering in these two groups. Furthermore, greater Bcl-2 and attenuated Bax expression was found in the CY treated rats. These results suggest that the protective effect of Corydalis yanhusuo on myocardial I/R injury is closely associated with the inhibition of myocardial apoptosis through modulation of the Bcl-2 family.