Experimental study on the preventive mechanism of salviae miltiorrhizae against atherosclerosis in rabbits models

• Published in: Journal of Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Medical sciences Vol. 24; no. 3; pp. 233 - 235
• Main Authors: Li, Shusheng, Wan, Lei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: China Department of Emergency Medicine,Tongji Hospital,Tongji Medical College,Huazhong University of Science and Technology,Wuhan 430030,China 2004
• Subjects: Animals; Atherosclerosis - etiology; Atherosclerosis - prevention & control; bcl-2-Associated X Protein - biosynthesis; Diet, Atherogenic; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - therapeutic use; Male; Phytotherapy; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 - biosynthesis; Rabbits; Random Allocation; Salvia miltiorrhiza; Triglycerides - blood; atherosclerosis; Bcl-2; Bax; salviae miltiorrhizae
• ISSN: 1672-0733; 1993-1352

The preventive mechanism of salviae miltiorrhizae (SM) against experimental atherosclerosis (AS) in rabbits models was investigated. The experimental AS rabbit models were reproduced by feeding the high cholesterol diet. The changes of atherosclerotic plaques in normal group, model group and SM treated group were observed. The levels of serum TG, TC, HDL-C and LDL-C were determined. The immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of Bcl-2, Bax and IL-6 proteins in atherosclerotic plaques. The results showed that the level of serum TG in SM treated group was significantly lower than in model group (P<0.01). Immunohistochemistry revealed that the expression of Bcl-2, Bax and TL-6 in model group was significantly higher than in normal group. In the SM group, the expression of Bcl-2 protein was up-regulated and that of Bax was down-regulated. It was suggested that SM could inhibit formation of AS in experimental rabbits. To decrease the expression of Bax and increase the expression of Bcl-2 protein may be one of the mechanisms of SM against atherosclerosis.