ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of Shenshao Decoction on the inflammatory status: in the aorta in a rat model of atherosclerosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into: five groups, 8 rats in each group: control untreated group, atherosclerosis group, atherosclerosis with Shenshao Decoction (low dose) group, atherosclerosis with Shenshao Decoction (high dose) group, atherosclerosis with simvastatin group. To stimulate atherosclerosis, the rats were fed vitamin D3 and a high-cholesterol diet. Four weeks later, treatments were maintained for eight weeks. Morphology changes were investigated by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were obtained by enzymatic assays with use of an automated biochemical analyzer. The expression of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) were detected by enzyme-enzymelinked immunosorbent assay. The expression levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-17A, and IL-23 were detected by linked immunoblotting.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Shenshao Decoction treatment decreased TC, TG, LDL-C and MDA and increased: GSH-PX levels (P<0.01). Compared with the control group, IL-1β, IL-17A, and IL-23 were lower in the high and <low dose Shenshao Decoction groups and the simvastatin group (P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Shenshao Decoction: could attenuate the progression of aortal atherosclerotic plaques by inhibiting the inflammatory response in a rat atherosclerotic model.</p>