ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the effect of astragaloside,one of the active components of astragalus membranaceus,on myocardial nerve growth factor(NGF)expression in murine myocarditis model with coxsackievirus B(CVB_3).Methods One hundred Balb/c mice were randomly divided into 6 groups.Group A [n=10,treated with carboxymethylcellulose(CMC) 0.1 mL,ig,for 1 week] were served as normal controls group and group B(n=10,treated with 9% astragaloside 0.1 mL,ig,for 1 week)as high-dose control.Eighty infected mice treated with CMC and 1%,3%,9% astragaloside 0.1 mL,ig,for 1 week (n=20 in each group)were served as group C(myocarditic control group),D(low-dose intervention group),E(middle-dose intervention group),F(high-dose intervention group),respectively.The mice were killed and their hearts were removed after 14 days.The expression levels of NGF mRNA and protein in the myocardium were examined by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry,respectively.Results The mortality was significantly reduced in 9% astragaloside treated infected mice that was 10%(2/20)vs 45%(9/20)in group C(P