ABSTRACT
Objective To study the relationship between the inflammatory cytokine levels and the expression of hepatic alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7 nAChR) in hyperlipidemia rats and to investigate the intervention effect of Yirui Capsules ( mainly composed of Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae, Fructus Crataegi, Rhizoma Alismatis, etc). Methods Fifty male SD rats were randomly divided into blank control group ( fed with conventional diet, N=10) and high-fat diet group (fed with high-fat diet, N=40). After feeding for 14 d, the forty rats in high-fat diet group were further randomly divided into model control group, and low-, middle-, and high-dose Yirui Capsules groups (140, 280, 560 mg/kg, respectively), 10 rats in each group and the treatment lasting 30 days. And then, the serum levels of lipids were detected, C-reactive protein (CRP) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) -α in the serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ( ELISA) , and the expression of hepatic α7 nAChR was analyzed by immunohistochemical staining and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) . Results Yirui Capsules in different dosages could improve serum lipid levels in hyperlipidemia rats to various degrees. The contents of serum inflammatory cytokines CRP and TNF-α and the mRNA expression of hepatic α7nAChR were increased in the model control group as compared with those in the blank control group ( P<0.01). The contents of inflammatory cytokines CRP, TNF-αand the mRNA expression of hepatic α7nAChR were decreased in the three Yirui Capsules groups as compared with those in the model control group ( P<0.01). The results of immunohistochemical staining for α7nAChR expression were consistent with RT-PCR results. Conclusion The expression of hepatic α7nAChR is increased in hyperlipidemia rats. Yirui capsules are effective on decreasing inflammatory cytokine levels, improving lipid metabolism, and down-regulating α7nAChR expression.