Cardiovascular Protection with Danshensu in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the cardiovascular protective effects of Danshensu, a water-soluble active component of Danshen, in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). SHR (male, 9 weeks old, n‫؍‬ ‫)03؍‬ were divided into three groups: 1) saline control (n‫؍‬ ‫;)01؍‬ 2) a Danshensu (10 mg/kg/d, intraperitoneally (i.p.)) treatment group (n‫؍‬ ‫;)01؍‬ and 3) a Valsartan (10 mg/kg/d, intragastrically (i.g.)) treatment group (n‫؍‬ ‫.)01؍‬ Age-matched Wistar-Kyoto rats (n‫؍‬ ‫)01؍‬ were used as normotensive controls. Saline and drug treatments were administered for 6 weeks. When the rats were 15 weeks old, their hearts were excised and arrhythmias were induced by an ex vivo ischemia/reperfusion protocol. The heart weight to body weight index was significantly increased in SHR, and this increase was attenuated with Danshensu treatment (both pϽ Ͻ0.05). Systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were also decreased with Danshensu treatment, from 145؎ ؎3 and 103؎ ؎10 mmHg to 116؎ ؎7 and 87؎ ؎2 mmHg in SHR and Danshensu-treated groups, respectively (both pϽ Ͻ0.05). The incidences of ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation decreased from 100 to 50% and 30% in SHR, respectively, with Danshensu treatment (both pϽ Ͻ0.05). Serum nitric oxide content and inducible nitric oxide synthase activity were significantly increased with Danshensu (both pϽ Ͻ0.05). In addition, Danshensu increased the K ؉ ؉ current density and Ca 2؉ ؉ activated K ؉ ؉ channel current density of mesenteric vascular smooth muscle cells isolated from SHRs. Together, these results demonstrate that Danshensu imparts cardiovascular protection by modifying vascular responses during the progression of hypertension.

Salvia miltiorrhiza: A Potential Red Light to the Development of Cardiovascular Diseases

“…Using spontaneously hypertensive rats, Tang et al found that administration of Danshensu (10 mg/kg/d for 6 weeks) decreased blood pressure and inhibited arrhythmias via increasing serum nitric oxide (NO) content and nitric oxide synthase activity [74]. Using isoproterenol (2.5 mg/kg/d for 7 days, s.c.) induced myocardial hypertrophy rats, Danshensu treatment (3 and 10 mg/kg/d from day 4 to 7 of isoproterenol treatment, i.p.)…”

“…Using primary mesenteric vascular smooth muscle cells isolated from spontaneously hypertensive rats, Danshensu treatment enhanced the K + and Ca 2+ activated K + channel current density when the test potential was set at +60 mV [74]. Ca 2+ -activated K + (K Ca ) channels along with K + (K V ) channels play an important role in regulating vascular tone and blood pressure [138].…”

Effects of Polyphenols on Oxidative Stress-Mediated Injury in Cardiomyocytes

“…Danshensu (10 mg/kg/day i.p.) decreased the HW/BW index, prevented the increase of blood pressure, and reduced arrhythmias in rats exposed to I/R [188]. In addition, danshensu possessed a cardioprotective effect against I/R injury when given to rats during reperfusion (30 and 60 mg/kg, for 3 h) [108].…”

Oxidative Stress and Salvia miltiorrhiza in Aging‐Associated Cardiovascular Diseases

“…The water extract of SM that contains lithospermic acid B (also named tanshinoate B) and Sal B exhibits an antihypertensive effect through the inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme or the renin angiotensin system [62–65]. Sal B and danshensu, the major hydrophilic constituents of SM, can regulate vascular tone and reduce blood pressure by activating of the calcium-activated big potassium (BK CA ) channel [66, 67]. In addition, SM injection can decrease plasma levels of endothelin-1 and thromboxane B2 [68].…”