RESUMEN
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the role of puerarin on the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMC) induced by thrombin (T) and the effect of puerarin on the c-fos and bcl-2 protein expression.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Cell number and cell cycle analysis using flow cytometry were adopted as two different indicators of effects on proliferation of VSMC. Western blot was used to indicate the changes of c-fos and bcl-2 protein after 24 h of treatment of T and puerarin.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>1.5 x 10(-5) - 1.5 x 10(-3) mol x L(-1) puerarin could significantly suppress this stimulation of VSMC proliferation and DNA synthesis induced by T. Western blot demonstrated that after 24 hour of treatment with T and puerarin, T could significantly increase c-fos and bcl-2 protein and 1.5 x 10(-5) - 1.5 x 10(-3) mol x L(-1) puerain could significantly suppress this increase.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>puerarin can suppress the proliferation and DNA synthesis of VSMC promoted by T. This inhibitory effects of puerarin are closely related with the suppression of c-fos and bcl-2 protein.</p>