ABSTRACT
Sodium ferulate is the sodium salt of ferulic acid, an extract of traditional Chinese herbal medicines for promoting blood circulation and detoxification, and it is rich in sources, with few side effects and high safety. Sodium ferulate has many pharmacological effects, which is a cardiovascular drug researched and developed independently in China. It was first approved in 1990 for the clinical treatment of cardiovascular diseases. In recent years, the clinical application of sodium ferulate has become increasingly widespread, and the research field is continuously expanding. Sodium ferulate is effective in treating respiratory diseases, diabetes and complications, and protecting the liver and kidney from damage. Meanwhile it has been widely used in cardiovascular diseases. Here we reviewed the research status of the prominent pharmacological effects of sodium ferulate on cardiovascular diseases in the past 30 years, mainly focusing on the antithrombotic effects, the protection of blood vessels, and the anti-oxidative effect of sodium ferulate. It is expected to provide guidance for clinical applications of sodium ferulate.
ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effect of endothelin antagonist on ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced pigmentation in guinea pigs.Methods A skin pigmentation model was established by UVB irradiation in guinea pigs.The modeled animals were divided into 3 groups to be treated with sodium chloride physiological solution (blank control group),an endothelin antagonist (endothelin antagonist group) and arbutin (positive control group),respectively.Before the UVB irradiation,as well as after 15-and 30-day UVB irradiation,Mexameter(R) MX 18 was used to detect the melanin index in the dorsal skin of guinea pigs.After 30-day consecutive treatment,melanin index,the number of melanocytes in the epidermis and melanin content were compared among the above 3 groups.Results After 30-day UVB irradiation,the melanin index in the 9 UVB-irradiated areas on the dorsal skin of guinea pigs significantly increased compared with that before the radiation (P ＜ 0.0001).After 30-day treatment with the 1‰ endothelin antagonist,the melanin index in the UVB-irradiated areas significantly decreased compared with that in the positive control group (P ＜ 0.0001).Melanin content index-1 (MCI-1) was significantly lower in the endothelin antagonist group than in the blank control group (P ＜ 0.05),while no significant difference in MCI-2 was observed among the 3 groups (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion Topical application of the endothelin antagonist has a certain therapeutic effect on UVB-induced pigmentation in guinea pigs.
ABSTRACT
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is often difficult to diagnose and challenging to treat. Untreated, it is characterized by a progressive increase in pulmonary vascular resistance leading to right ventricular failure and death. The past decade has seen remarkable improvements in therapy, driven largely by the conduct of randomized controlled trials. Still, the selection of most appropriate therapy is complex, and requires familiarity with the disease process, evidence from treatment trials, complicated drug delivery systems, dosing regimens, side effects, and complications. We tried to provide evidence?based treatment recommendations for physicians involved in the care of these complex patients. Due to the complexity of the diagnostic evaluation required, and the treatment options available, it is strongly recommended that consideration be given to referral of patients with PAH to a specialized center.
Subject(s)
Humans , Drug Delivery Systems , Hypertension , Nitric Oxide , Recognition, Psychology , Referral and Consultation , Vascular ResistanceABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Although experimental and clinical evidences suggest that endothelin-1(ET-1) may play a pathophysiological role in ischemic heart disease, it is still controversial whether ET-1 produced during myocardial ischemia and reperfusion affects the extent of necrotic myocardium. This study was performed to investigate the role of ET-1 and the effect of ET antagonists in infarct size determination. METHODS: Male Wistar rats(260-400g) were anesthetized with pentobarbital(i.p. 50mg/kg) and ventilation was assisted via tracheostomy tube. The heart was exposed by midline incision and the left anterior descending coronary artery was ligated with 6-0 silk suture. The ligature was released after 1 hour and reperfusion was performed for 2 hours. In the first set of experiment, FRI139317(ET-A antagonist) was given as bolus i.v.(3mg/kg) 10 minutes before reperfusion, followed by continuous infusion(total 24mg/kg) throughout reperfusion. In the other protocol, bosentan(ET-A/ET-B antagonist ; 10mg/kg) was given 10 minutes before coronary occlusion as i.v. bolus. At the end of reperfusion, the heart was excised and stained with Evans blue dye(1% w/v) and triphenyltetrazolium chloride(TTC;1%) to distinguish infarct region(not stained by TTC and Evans blue), ischemic but viable myocardium(stained brick-red by TTC but not stained by Evans blue) and nonischemic myocardium(dyed by Evans blue). These three regions of myocardium were separated and weighed for analysis. Infarct size(in percent) was expressed as the ratio of infarct region to ischemic myocardium(i.e. infarct region plus ischemic but viable myocardium). RESULTS: In the first protocol, infarct region was 57.0 +/-3.8% of the ischemic myocardium in control(n=9) and 58.9+/-4.9% in FR139317 group(n=7) ; The difference was not significant statistically. Likewise, ET-A/ET-B antagonist bosentan given before coronary occlusion did not reduce infarct size significantly ; the ratio was 74.2+/-3.2% in control(n=7) and 69.5+/-2.0% in bosentan group(n=7). CONCLUSIONS: ET-A antagonist FR139317, given throughout reperfusion, did not reduce myocardial infarct size in rat. Bosentan(ET-A/ET-B antagonist) given just before coronary occlusion as i.v. bolus also did not reduce myocardial infarct size in rat.