Flavonoids from Chinese Viscum coloratum produce cytoprotective effects against ischemic myocardial injuries: inhibitory effect of flavonoids on PAF-Induced Ca²⁺ overload

• Published in: Phytotherapy research Vol. 22; no. 1; pp. 134 - 137
• Main Authors: Chu, Wenfeng, Qiao, Guofen, Bai, Yunlong, Pan, Zhenwei, Li, Guoyu, Piao, Xianmei, Wu, Ling, Lu, Yanjie, Yang, Baofeng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.01.2008; Wiley
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; BN52021; Ca2; Calcium - metabolism; Cardiovascular Agents - chemistry; Cardiovascular Agents - pharmacology; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - chemistry; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - pharmacology; Flavonoids - chemistry; Flavonoids - pharmacology; General pharmacology; ischemia; Male; Medical sciences; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury - metabolism; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury - prevention & control; PAF; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Phytotherapy; Platelet Activating Factor - pharmacology; Random Allocation; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Viscum - chemistry; Viscum coloratum; Asia; China; Pharmacognosy; Cardiovascular disease; Viscum coloratum; Flavonoid; Loranthaceae; Medicinal plant; BN52021; Polyphenol; Cytoprotector; Ischemia; PAF; Ca2; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Plant origin; Phenols; Myocardium; Spermatophyta; Circulatory system; Parasitic plant
• ISSN: 0951-418X; 1099-1573
• DOI: 10.1002/ptr.2267

Viscum coloratum has been used in the indigenous system of medicine for the treatment of various diseases such as myocardial ischemia and arrhythmia. Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is an important player in cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of Viscum coloratum flavonoids (VCF) against ischemic myocardial injuries in vivo and to further investigate its regulatory effect on PAF. Studies were performed in a rat model of myocardial infarction and in isolated myocytes. It was found that VCF relieved myocardial injuries during ischemia. PAF (10⁻¹¹ m) significantly increased the intracellular free Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]i) and VCF inhibited the changes induced by PAF in single cardiac myocytes. The results suggest that VCF can improve cardiac function and that VCF reduces ischemic myocardial injuries via blocking the signaling pathway of PAF. Therefore, PAF blockers may be candidate drugs for preventing cardiac injuries during ischemia/reperfusion, and subsequently improving cardiac function. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.