Salvianolic Acid B Attenuates Rat Hepatic Fibrosis via Downregulating Angiotensin II Signaling

Abstract

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays an important role in hepatic fibrosis. Salvianolic acid B (Sal B), one of the water-soluble components from Radix Salviae miltiorrhizae, has been used to treat hepatic fibrosis, but it is still not clear whether the effect of Sal B is related to angiotensin II (Ang II) signaling pathway. In the present study, we studied Sal B effect on rat liver fibrosis and Ang-II related signaling mediators in dimethylnitrosamine-(DMN-) induced rat fibrotic model in vivo and Ang-II stimulated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) in vitro, with perindopril or losartan as control drug, respectively. The results showed that Sal B and perindopril inhibited rat hepatic fibrosis and reduced expression of Ang II receptor type 1 (AT1R) and ERK activation in fibrotic liver. Sal B and losartan also inhibited Ang II-stimulated HSC activation including cell proliferation and expression of type I collagen I (Col-I) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) production in vitro, reduced the gene expression of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), and downregulated AT1R expression and ERK and c-Jun phosphorylation. In conclusion, our results indicate that Sal B may exert an antihepatic fibrosis effect via downregulating Ang II signaling in HSC activation.

Salvianolic acid B attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury in rats through inhibition of apoptosis, oxidative stress and inflammation

“…The present study found that salvianolic acid B attenuated LPS-induced increases in Col-I, TGF-β1 and α-SMA protein expression in the lung tissues of ALI rats. Li et al (29) indicated that salvianolic acid B attenuated hepatic fibrosis through Col-I, α-SMA and TGF-β signaling in rats. Lv and Xu (30) reported that salvianolic acid B inhibits TGF-β1 in the stimulated human hepatic stellate cell line LX-2.…”

Anti-pulmonary fibrotic activity of salvianolic acid B was screened by a novel method based on the cyto-biophysical properties

“…As the most bioactive component of salvianolic acid extracted from Danshen, SalB shows higher free radical scavenging activity than vitamin C, and its antioxidant capacity is in agreement with its protective effects against cell injury from oxidative stresses [25]. SalB has been reported to protect against liver fibrosis in animals and patients [26,27], as well as to reduce experimental renal interstitial fibrosis in rats [28]. In this study, the SalB was screened to be strongly antipulmonary fibrotic which might also be due to its antioxidant capacity.…”

Myocardium Protective Function of Salvianolic Acid B in Ischemia Reperfusion Rats

“…As the most bioactive component of salvianolic acid extracted from Danshen, SalB shows higher free radical scavenging activity than vitamin C, and its antioxidant capacity is in agreement with its protective effects against cell injury from oxidative stresses (Zhao et al, 2008). SalB has been reported to protect against liver fibrosis in animals and patients (Liu et al, 2002;Li et al, 2012), as well as to reduce experimental renal interstitial fibrosis in rats (Lu et al, 2010).…”