These findings suggest that both Sal B and Tan IIA have cardioprotective function in certain levels through multiple targets related with NO production, such as eNOS phosphorylation, L-arginine uptake and CAT expression, which may have major clinical implications.
Velvet antler of deer (VAD) is a commonly-used kidney-Yang supplementing traditional Chinese medication. According to the heart-kidney-related theory, heart Yang originates in kidney Yang and heart failure due to heart Yang deficiency can be treated by tonifying kidney Yang. In this study, we investigated therapeutic effects of VAD on cardiac functions in rats with heart failure following myocardial infarction. Forty-eight male Wistar rats were subjected either to left coronary artery ligation (N = 36) or to sham operation (N = 12). One week after the surgery, rats with heart failure received daily treatment of double-distilled water, captopril or VAD by gavage for consecutively four weeks, while sham-operated animals were given double-distilled water. Ultrasonic echocardiography was adopted to examine cardiac structural and functional parameters and serum brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) concentration was measured using radioimmunoassay. We found that VAD partially reversed changes in cardiac functional parameters and serum BNP levels in rats with heart failure. These results provide further evidence for the heart-kidney-related theory and suggest that VAD might be a potentially alternative and complementary medicine for the treatment of heart failure.
Aim. To determine the effect of a Chinese herbal compound named Wenxin Granule on ventricular remodeling and myocardial apoptosis in rats with myocardial infarction (MI). Methods. Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into four groups: the control group, the model group, the metoprolol group, and the Wenxin Granule group (WXKL group) with sample size (n) of 7 rats in each group. An MI model was established in all rats by occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery (the control group was without occlusion). Wenxin Granule (1.35 g/kg/day), metoprolol (12 mg/kg/day), and distilled water (5 mL/kg/day for the control and model groups) were administered orally for 4 weeks. Ultrasonic echocardiography was used to examine cardiac structural and functional parameters. Myocardial histopathological changes were observed using haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) dyeing. Myocardial apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining. Serum angiotensin II (Ang II) concentration was measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results. It was found that Wenxin Granule could partially reverse ventricular remodeling, improve heart function, alleviate the histopathological damage, inhibit myocardial apoptosis, and reduce Ang II concentration in rats with MI. Conclusions. The results of the current study suggest that Wenxin Granule may be a potential alternative and complementary medicine for the treatment of MI.
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