ABSTRACT
[Objective] To observe the preventive effect of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction (HJD), a prescription with the actions of clearing heat and removing toxicity, on rabbits atherosclerosis (AS) induced by Chlamydia pneumoniae (CP) infection. [Methods] Fifty two New Zealand rabbits were fed with forage containing 2. 5g/kg cholesterol and were infected with CP via nasopharynx for three times during 6 weeks. At the end of the sixth week, forty four rabbits with serum CP-IgG positive were randomized into 4 groups: group A treated with HJD 2g?kg-1 ?d-1 by gastric gavage, group B with HJD 1g?kg-1?d-1, group C with azithromycin 20 mg?kg-1?d-1 and model group D with normal saline for 6 weeks. Group E was set up in 8 rabbits fed with fatty forage and served as the control. Serum levels of high-sensitive C reactive protein (hs-CRP) and CP-IgG were detected before infection, after infection and after treatment. At the end of the 18th week, the rabbits were executed and the pathological features of aortic tissue were observed under microscope. Meanwhile, the expression of CP-DNA and tumor necrosis factor ?(TNF-?) in the aortic tissue was detected with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemical method respectively. [Results] At the end of the experiment, atherosclerotic changes were obvious in groups D and E, particularly in group D. Compared with group D, the atherosclerotic damage was much relieved, and AS indexes such as maximum intimal thickness (MIT), atherosclerotic damage percentage and plaque area index were much improved in groups A and C (P