ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the effect of Shensong Yangxin capsule on cardiac remodelling of myocardial infarction mouse model and the possible molecular mechanisms. Methods Adult male C57BL/6J mice were divided into sham operation group(n=10), model control group(n=20)and Shensong Yangxin group(n=20)according to random number table. Left anterior descending branch of coronary artery was ligated to establish myocardic infarction model in the model control group and Shensong Yangxin group. From the 2nd day after the surgery, Shensong Yangxin ( 400 mg . kg-1 ) was intragastrically administered, and the death rate of the mice was observed.Four weeks after the surgery, echocardiography was used to measure the cardiac function;myocardiac infarction area was detected by pathological staining;the expression levels of cardiac remodelling markers and extracellular matrix proteins were detected by RT-PCR. The possible molecular mechanisms were screened by Western blotting. Results As compared with the model control group, Shensong Yangxin significantly reduced the mortality after myocardial infarction in mice(P<0.05), as well as the myocardial infarct size(P<0.05).The mRNA expression levels of cardiac remodelling markers ANP, BNP, and β-MHC and the extracellular matrix proteins(collagenⅠ, collagen Ⅲ, CTGF, TGFβ) decreased significantly in the Shensong Yangxin group as compared with the model control group. Western blotting showed that Shensong Yangxin significantly decreased activation of smad3, and reduced expression level of smad4. Conclusion Shensong Yangxin attenuates cardiac remodelling after myocardial infarction and the mechanism may be related with blockage of smad signaling pathway.