ABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate the protective effect of extracts from Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma and Chuanxiong Rhizoma on vascular senescence induced by high glucose in mice from adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase/mechanistic target of rapamycin (AMPK/mTOR) pathway. Method: A total of 130 male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control group and high glucose group. The high glucose group was intraperitoneally injected with streptozocin(STZ) and fed with a high-fat diet continuously for seven months. Mice were divided into 4 groups:model group, low-dose extracts from Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma and Chuanxiong Rhizoma(0.819 g·kg-1) group, high-dose extracts from Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma and Chuanxiong Rhizoma group (1.638 g·kg-1) and metformin group (150 mg·kg-1), and intragastrically administered once a day for nine weeks. The changes in body weight and blood glucose were measured. At the end of the administration, htoxylin eosin(HE) was performed for the detection of aortic morphology, and the expressions of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (p16), cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1A (p21), AMPK, p-AMPK, mTOR, p-mTOR, liver kinase B1 (LKB1), p-LKB1, Ribosomal protein s6 kinase (p70s6k) and p-p70s6k proteins in mouse aorta were detected by Western blot. Result: Compared with blank group, mice in model group had lower body weight and higher blood glucose (PPPPPPPPPPPConclusion: High glucose can induce vascular senescence, and extracts from Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma and Chuanxiong Rhizoma can improve vascular aging induced by high glucose through AMPK/mTOR pathway.