Effects of Xuefu Zhuyu Granule and Danlou Tablet on Anti-atherosclerosis Rats and Potential Mechanisms / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe anti-atherosclerotic effect of Xuefu Zhuyu Granule (XZU) and Danlou Tablet (DT) on blood lipids, platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) proliferation, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signal pathway in atherosclerosis (AS) model rats, and to explore their potential mechanisms.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups, i.e., the normal control group, the model group, the Atorvastatin group, the DT group, the XZG group, 8 in each group. Rats in the normal control group were fed with basic forage for 12 weeks, while rats in the other four groups were fed with high fat forage plus intraperitoneal injection of vitamin D3 to build AS model. Then rats in the model control group, the Atorvastatin group, the DT group, the XZG group were administered with normal saline, Atorvastatin suspension (0.18 mg/mL), DT suspension (45 mg/mL), and XZG (1 g/mL) by gastrogavage for 8 successive weeks, respectively. After intervention serum levels of TC, TG, LDL-C, HDL-C, and PDGF were detected by ELISA. Pathological changes in thoracic aorta were observed by HE staining. Protein expression levels of ERK1/2 and pERK1/2 in thoracic aorta were measured by Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the normal group, serum TC, TG, LDL-C, PDGF levels, and expression levels of ERK1/2 and pERK1/2 significantly increased (P <0. 05) in the model control group. HE staining showed irregular intimal thickness, accumulated endothelial foam cells, lipids deposited, disarranged media VSMCs, forming typical AS plaque. Compared with the model group, TC and PDGF levels decreased in all medicated groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Serum levels of TG and LDL-C significantly decreased in the Atorvastatin group and the DT group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Expressions of ERK1/2 and pERK1/2 significantly decreased in the Atorvastatin group, the DT group, and the XZG group (P < 0.01). HE staining also showed typical AS plaque in three medicated groups, but with reduced pathological degree of endometrial hyperplasia and plaque area.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>XZG and DT could reduce the plaque area and attenuate pathological degree of AS in model rats, thereby postponing the progress of AS. Its mechanism might be achieved through reducing serum lipids and release of PDGF, inhibiting ERK signal pathway activation and VSMC proliferation.</p>

Meta-analysis on effect of Shenfu injection in treating angina pectoris / 中国中药杂志

To systematically evaluate the efficiency and safety of Shenfu injection in treating patients with angina pectoris. Retrievals were made in Embase, Pubmed, Cochrane Library, Clinical Trials.gov, CNKI, CBM, VIP and Wanfang (before September 2015) for randomized or semi-randomized controlled trials reporting data of Shenfu injection in the adjuvant treatment of angina pectoris. The quality of included trials was evaluated according to tool evaluation at cochrane.org. STATA version 12.0 was applied for Meta analysis after quality assessment of included studies. Finally, a total of 17 studies, including 16 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 1 controlled clinical trial (CCT) involving 1 309 patients, met the inclusion criteria, of which 659 patients received Shenfu injection treatment. Meta-analysis results showed that Shenfu injection treatment group significantly improved angina pectoris symptoms (OR=3.38, 95%CI： 2.47-4.64, P=0.000) and ischemic ST-T changes in electrocardiogram (OR=3.30, 95%CI： 2.22-4.90, P=0.000), compared with control group. In the Meta-regression analysis, the average age of patients was positively correlated with the improved clinical (β=0.17) and electrocardiogram (β=1.15) efficacies. Major complication rate of Shenfu injection was 3.4%, and no serious adverse events were reported. Current clinical evidence in this study proved that Shenfu injection could significantly improve clinical symptoms and ECG ischemic changes for angina pectoris patients, with a good safety.