Non‑alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which affects approximately one‑third of the general population, has become a global health problem. Thus, more effective treatments for NAFLD are urgently required. In the present study, high levels of C‑C motif ligand 19 (CCL19), signaling pathways such as Toll‑like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor‑κB (NF‑κB), and proinflammatory factors including interleukin‑6 (IL‑6) and tumor necrosis factor‑α (TNF‑α) were detected in NAFLD patients, thereby indicating that there may be an association between CCL19 and these factors in NAFLD progression. Using a high‑fat diet (HFD), the present study generated a Sprague‑Dawley rat model of NAFLD, which displayed dyslipidemia with increased levels of plasma aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total cholesterol and triglyceride. Dyslipidemia, liver histopathology and gene expression analyses indicated that the NAFLD model was successfully induced by HFD, and metformin and berberine (BBR) were effective treatments for NAFLD. HFD‑induced CCL19 levels and associated factors were markedly reduced by the two drug treatments. In addition, metformin or BBR alone significantly promoted adenosine monophosphate‑activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation, which was inhibited by HFD. These results demonstrated that metformin and BBR could improve NAFLD, which may be via the activation of AMPK signaling, and the high expression of CCL19 in NAFLD was significantly reduced by metformin and BBR. It could be inferred that inhibition of CCL19 may be an effective treatment for NAFLD.
There is still no resolution for arterial remodeling related with hypertension, though hypertension treatment has access to a number of pharmacological agents. The present study aimed at investigating the prevention of Cyathula officinalis Kuan's roots (C. officinalis Kuan) against in arterial remodeling in vitro. Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were intragastrically administered 3, 6 or 12 g/kg C. officinalis Kuan or normal saline or enalapril (2.5 mg/kg) once a day for 8 weeks. Hematoxylin and eosin were used to measure blood pressure and stain carotid and arota. The serum concentration of nitric oxide (NO) was measured by NO assay kit (nitrate reductase method). The endothelin-1 transcriptional level, endothelial NO synthase of endothelium as well as angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT1R) of aorta and carotid was tested by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and the protein level in aorta was also measured by western blotting. The blood pressure in SHR+enalapril, SHR+3 g/kg, SHR+6 g/kg and SHR+12 g/kg C. officinalis Kuan groups was significantly decreased at 4, 6 and 8 weeks post-treatment compared with SHR group. Different doses of C. officinalis Kuan and enalapril treatment showed aortic wall thinness and strengthened NO serum level, but made no impact on the transcriptional level of AT1R in aorta or endothelial NO synthase in carotid. It is suggested by such results that therapy by C. officinalis Kuan is able to fight against arterial remodeling, thus may provide a new means to treat arterial remodeling caused by hypertension.
Jiajing et al.: Effects of Cyathula officinalis Kuan Extracts on Hypertension-induced Renal Vascular Remodelling The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the extracts of Cyathula officinalis Kuan on blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats and the possible mechanisms involved. Blood pressure was recorded, renal vascular remodelling was visualized through haematoxylin and eosin staining and the expression of aldosterone, renin and angiotensin II in serum and kidney of spontaneously hypertensive rats was measured by real-time polymer chain reaction and enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay, respectively. The extracts of Cyathula officinalis Kuan significantly decreased the high blood pressure and reduced renal artery narrowing in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Moreover, Cyathula officinalis Kuan extracts also decreased the expression of aldosterone, renin and angiotensin II in both the serum and the kidney and activated ERK1/2 and p38 signalling pathways in kidney of spontaneously hypertensive rats. However, the toxicity to rat liver and kidney did not differ significantly between the extracts of Cyathula officinalis Kuan and enalapril, a well-known prodrug providing antihypertensive actions. These results demonstrated that the extracts from Cyathula officinalis Kuan can ameliorate hypertension-induced renal vascular remodelling in a rat models through inhibiting the expression of aldosterone, renin and angiotensin II and activating ERK1/2 and p38 signalling pathways.
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