Curcumin improves cardiac fibrosis by inhibiting endothelial-mesenchymal transition through NRF2-DDAH-ADMA-NO pathway / 中国中药杂志

The present study analyzed the correlations between curcumin(Cur), nuclear factor E2 related factor 2(NRF2)-dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase(DDAH)-asymmetric dimethylarginine(ADMA)-nitric oxide(NO) pathway, and endothelial-mesenchymal transition(EndMT) based on SD rats with cardiac fibrosis, and explored the effect and mechanism of Cur in resisting cardiac fibrosis to provide an in-depth theoretical basis for its clinical application in the treatment of heart failure. The cardiac fibrosis model was induced by subcutaneous injection of isoprenaline(Iso) in rats. Thirty-two rats were randomly divided into a control group, a model group, a low-dose Cur group(100 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), and a high-dose Cur group(200 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), with eight in each group. After 21 days of treatment, cardiac function was detected by echocardiography, degree of cardiac fibrosis by Masson staining, expression of CD31 and α-SMA by pathological staining, expression of VE-cadherin, vimentin, NRF2, and DDAH by Western blot, and ADMA level by HPLC. Compared with the model group, the Cur groups showed alleviated cardiac fibrosis, accompanied by increased CD31 and VE-cadherin expression and decreased α-SMA and vimentin expression, indicating relieved EndMT. Additionally, DDAH and NRF2 levels were elevated and ADMA and NO expression declined. Cur improves cardiac fibrosis by inhibiting EndMT presumedly through the NRF2-DDAH-ADMA-NO pathway.

Effect of antiepileptic drugs on the level of plasma homocysteine and asymmetric dimethyl arginine in epileptic patients / 重庆医学

Objective To investigate plasma homocysteine(Hcy)and asymmetric dimethyl arginine(ADMA)concentration in patients with epilepsy receiving oxcarbazepine(OXC)or sodium valproate(VPA)monotherapy.Methods Plasma were collected from 32 cases of OXC and 36 cases of VPA monotherapy.The levels of hcy and ADMA were detected and compared with healthy controls.Then the correlation of the levels and antiepileptic drug treatment duration was analyzed.Results The levels of hcy and ADMA in treatment groups were higher than in control gruops(P 0.05).Antiepileptic drug treatment duration and plasma Hcy,ADMA levels were positively correlated (r =0.274,P <0.05;r =0.256,P <0.05).Conclusion OXC and VPA elevated hcy and ADMA plasma levels in patients with epilepsy.Routine monitoring of plasma hcy and ADMA and supplementation of B vitamins and folate acid might have help to reduce thrombotic events occurring for patients receiving long-term OXC and VPA therapy.