ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the molecular mechanisms of effective ingredients of Astragalus-Salvia compound (ASC) in increasing placental blood supply, to provide thought for establishing an effective prevention and treatment of insufficient placental blood supply caused complications of pregnancy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The effective ingredients of ASC was isolated and abstracted and the rat model of inhibited nitric oxide synthesis was established by using L-Arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor. The mRNA expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in placental trophocyte and primordial micrangial endothelial cell was determined by using in situ hybridization at 12th day of pregnancy.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The VEGF mRNA expression was significantly lower in nitric oxide synthesis inhibited model rats than that in rats non-modeled, or in model rats treated by ASC abstracts or nitroglycerin (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Effective ingredients of ASC may improve VEGF mRNA expression in placental trophocyte and vascular endothelial cell in early pregnancy, and thus be favorable for placental vascular net formation, trophocyte infiltration and mother-placental circulation constitution for increasing placental blood supply to prevent and treat the insufficient placental blood supply caused diseases such as pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome.</p>