Salvianolic acid A contributes to cartilage endplate cell restoration by regulating miR-940 and miR-576-5p / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate whether Salvianolic acid A (SAA) can restore cartilage endplate cell degeneration of intervertebral discs and to identify the mechanism via regulation of micro-RNA.@*METHODS@#Cartilage endplate cells were isolated from lumbar intervertebral disc surgical samples and were treated with serum containing a series of concentrations of SAA (2, 5, and 10 ?M) for 24, 48, and 72 h to identify a proper dose and treatment time of SAA. The effect SAA on interlenkin-1β (IL-1β)-induced extracellular matrix degradation of cartilage endplate cells were analyzed by Alcian blue staining and assessment of the expression levels of ADAMTS-5, MMP3 and Col2a1. Further, the potential target miRNAs were preliminarily screened by micro-RNA sequencing combining qRT-PCR and Western blot, and then, the miRNAs mimics and inhibitors were used to verify the regulatory effect of SAA on potential target miRNAs.@*RESULTS@#The 10 μM SAA treatment for 48 h significantly enhanced the viability of cartilage endplate cells, and increased Col2a1 expression and glycosaminoglycan accumulation that were repressed by IL-1β, and reduced the effect of IL-1β on ADAMTS-5, and MMP3. Screening analysis based on micro-RNA sequencing and Venny analysis identified the downstream micro-RNAs, including miR-940 and miR-576-5p. Then, the miR-940-mimic or miR-576-5p-mimic were transfected into CEPCs. Compared with the SAA group, the expression of ADAMTS-5 and MMP3 increased significantly and the expression of COL2A1 obviously decreased after overexpression of miR-940 or miR-576-5p in CEPCs.@*CONCLUSION@#Salvianolic acid A attenuated the IL-1β-induced extracellular matrix degradation of cartilage endplate cells by targeting regulate the miR-940 and the miR-576-5p.

Salvianolic acid A inhibits platelet and neutrophil activation / 中国药理学通报

Aim To explore the effeets of Salvianolie aeirl A (SAA) on platelet recruitment, activation and neutrophils in heart of myocardial infarction ( Ml ) mice.Methods C57BL/6 mice were randomly divid¬ed into: Sham operation group.Ml model group, SAA (5, 10 mg • kg 1 ) group, tirofiban (Tirofiban, 0.87 mg • kg ' ) group, using tail vein injection for 3 d.Echocardiography and HE staining were used to detect mouse heart function and infarct area; 1HC, FCS, ELISA, Western blot and other methods were used to explore the inhibitory effect of SAA on platelet and neutrophil activation.Results Compared with Ml group, SAA could improve the cardiac function and cardiac physiology changes of Ml mice, reduce the ex¬pression of CD42c in myocardial tissue and CD62p in peripheral blood without affecting tail bleeding time, reduce ADP-induced platelet activation and increase p- VASP/VASP ratio, reduce the ratio of p-PI3K/PI3K and p-AKT/AKT, reduce the expression of CD45, Ly6G, CXCL1 and CXCL2 in myocardial tissue, re¬duce the expression of complement component C3aR in myocardial tissue, and reduce C3a-induced NE and MPO, MMP9, LF level.Conclusions SAA has an anti-platelet activation effect by inhibiting the PI3K/ AKT and VASP pathways and an anti-neutrophil acti¬vation effect by inhibiting the expression of C3aR and C3a.

Salvianolic acid A improves palmitie acid-induced lipotoxicity in cardiomyocyte via inhibiting TLR4/JNK MAPK / 中国临床药理学与治疗学

AIM: To reveal the ameliorative effect of salvianolic acid A on palmitie acid-induced lipotoxicity in H9C2 cells and to explore its potential molecular mechanisms preliminarily. METHODS: H9C2 cell were induced by palmitie acid to establish a lipotoxicity model, while salvianolic acid A was added prior to palmitie acid treatment. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was employed to detect cell damage. Cell counting Kit-8 was used to detect cell viability. The changes of mitochondrial membrane potential in cardiomyocyte were observed by rhodamine 123 staining. The molecular mechanisms of the ameliorative effect of salvianolic acid A was analyzed by Western Blotting. RESULTS: Palmitie acid at a concentration of 400 μmol/L significantly caused lipotoxicity damage to H9C2 cells (P0.05). Salvianolic acid A intervention significantly improved lipotoxicity-induced cell death and reduction of cell mitochondrial membrane potential (P<0.05). The activation of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) significantly enhanced lipotoxicity-induced cell damage (P<0.05), while inhibition of TLR4 significantly reduced palmitie acid-induced lipotoxicity (P<0.05). In addition, salvianolic acid A effectively inhibited the upregulation of TLR4 and the downstream c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK MAPK) of TLR4 by palmitie acid treatment (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Salvianolic acid A effectively improves lipotoxicity-induced cardiomyocyte damage. The inhibition of p38 signaling pathway is potentially involved in its protective effect. The protective effect may be related to the inhibition of TLR4/JNK MAPK signaling pathway, providing a potential molecular target for the prevention and treatment of lipotoxic cardiomyopathy.

Salvianolic acid A activates AMPK and SIRT1 to reduce palmitic acid-induced lipotoxicity in hepatocyte / 中国临床药理学与治疗学

AIM: To investigate the protective affect of salvianolic acid A on palmitic acid-induced lipotoxicity in hepatocyte and its potential molecular mechanism. METHODS: The lipotoxicity model of AML12 hepatocytes induced by PA was established. Different concentrations of Sal A (20, 40, 80, 120 μmol/L) were intervened. The hepatocyte injury was detected by the Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) method, the intracellular triglyceride (TG) content was detected by enzyme assay and the lipid droplets were observed by Bodipy staining, cell viability was detected by MTT, Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected by 2'eci'- dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) and fluorescence microscope. Mitochondrial membrane potential was detected by rhodamine 123 and fluorescence microscope. The expression of phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) protein and silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) protein were observed by Western blot. RESULTS: Model of hepatocyte lipotoxicity was established after intervented for 12 h in vitro with PA (0.5 mmol/L). Different concentrations of Sal A could significantly reduce the lipid deposition and hepatocytes injury induced by PA (P<0.05), and the protective effect was dose-dependent. Secondly, Sal A could significantly improve cell mitochondrial membrane potential (P<0.01) and abate the ROS level of hepatocytes induced by PA (P<0.01). In addition, PA could significantly inhibit AMPK and SIRT1 protein expression (P<0.05). Salvianolic acid A can significantly up-regulate SIRT1 and AMPK protein expression (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Sal A improves PA induced lipotoxicity in hepatocyte, AMPK and SIRT1 may be a potential molecular target.

Research advances on the protective effects and mechanism of salvianolic acids against ischemic heart disease / 药学学报

Salvianolic acids are the main water-soluble active compounds of Salvia miltiorrhiza and have been widely used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Based on the latest studies in China and abroad, we summarize the pharmacological effects and mechanism of salvianolic acids on ischemic heart disease by describing how salvianolic acid A and salvianolic acid B protect the vascular endothelium, relax coronary arteries, promote angiogenesis and anti-platelet aggregation, inhibit the inflammatory response, anti-cell apoptosis, and scavenge free radicals. This review provides a theoretical basis for further research on the effects of salvianolic acids on ischemic heart disease and their potential for drug development.

Analysis and comparison of metabolic processes of salvianolic acid A and salvianolic acid B in rats based on UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MS technology / 中国中药杂志

The metabolites of salvianolic acid A and salvianolic acid B in rats were analyzed and compared by ultra-high-perfor-mance liquid chromatography with linear ion trap-orbitrap mass spectrometry(UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MS). After the rats were administrated by gavage, plasma at different time points and urine within 24 hours were collected to be treated by solid phase extraction(SPE), then they were gradient eluted by Acquity UPLC BEH C_(18) column(2.1 mm×100 mm, 1.7 μm) and 0.1% formic acid solution(A)-acetonitrile(B) mobile phase system, and finally all biological samples of rats were analyzed under negative ion scanning mode. By obtaining the accurate relative molecular mass and multi-level mass spectrometry information of metabolites, combined with the characteristic cleavage law of the reference standard and literature reports, a total of 30 metabolites, including salvianolic acid A and B, were identified. Among them, there were 24 metabolites derived from salvianolic acid A, with the main metabolic pathways including ester bond cleavage, dehydroxylation, decarboxylation, hydrogenation, methylation, hydroxylation, sulfonation, glucuronidation, and their multiple reactions. There were 15 metabolites of salvianolic acid B, and the main biotransformation pathways were five-membered ring cracking, ester bond cleavage, decarboxylation, dehydroxylation, hydrogenation, methylation, sulfonation, glucuronidation, and their compound reactions. In this study, the cross-metabolic profile of salvianolic acid A and B was elucidated completely, which would provide reference for further studies on the basis of pharmacodynamic substances and the exploration of pharmacological mechanism.

Effect of Effective Components of Salvia Miltiorrhiza on TGF-β1 Induced Interstitial Transformation of Pulmonary Epithelial Cells / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective::To screen out the effective components of Salvia miltiorrhiza by establishing an in vitro model of pulmonary epithelial mesenchymal transformation. Method::Different concentrations of salvianolic acid A (10, 20, 40, 80, 160 μmol·L-1), salvianolic acid B (10, 20, 40, 80, 160 μmol·L-1), tanshinol (10, 20, 40, 80, 160 μmol·L-1), tanshinoneⅡA (10, 20, 40, 80, 160 μmol·L-1) and the blank group were applied to A549 cell, cell proliferation and cytotoxicity assay (MTS) were used to detect the proliferation effect of menthol on A549 cells.After screening the safe concentration of the active ingredients of salvia miltiorrhiza by MTS, cells were divided into blank group, model group, salvianolic acid A group, salvianolic acid B group, tanshinol group and tanshinoneⅡA.Then, the inhibitory effect of the active ingredients of salvia miltiorrhiza on the proliferation of A549 cells induced by TGF-β1 was detected by MTS. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method to detect salvia miltiorrhiza effective component of fiber protein(FN), collagen type I (COL-Ⅰ) expression. Based on the above results, the active components of salvia miltiorrhiza, which have best inhibition were screened out, and their effects on the expression of E-calcium-viscosity (E-Cad) protein were detected by Western blot. Result::Compared with blank group, salvianolic acid A 40 μmol·L-1, salvianolic acid B 160 μmol·L-1, tanshinol 160 μmol·L-1 had toxic effects on A549 cells (P<0.05). In the non-toxic concentration range, compared with the model group, salvianolic acid A 10, 20 μmol·L-1, salvianolic acid B 80 μmol·L-1 showed inhibition effect after 24 h culture (P<0.05). After 72 h culture, salvianolic acid A 5, 10, 20 μmol·L-1, salvianolic acid B 40, 80 μmol·L-1inhibition effect was very significant (P<0.01). ELISA results showed that with the blank group, model group cells the expression of FN and COL-Ⅰ increased significantly (P < 0.01). Compare with model group, salvianolic acid A 20 μmol·L-1, salvianolic acid B 80 μmol·L-1 inhibited FN and COL-Ⅰ(P<0.05). Western blot results showed that salicylic acid A and salicylic acid B had protective effects on E-Cad (P<0.01). Conclusion::Salvianolic acid A and salvianolic acid B have inhibitory effects on epithelial mesenchymal transformation by TGF-β1, which may be the main effective components of salvianolic acid in the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis.

Salvianolic acid A alleviates the renal damage in rats with chronic renal failure

Abstract Purpose: To investigate the protective effects of salvianolic acid A (SAA) on renal damage in rats with chronic renal failure (CRF). Methods: The five-sixth nephrectomy model of CRF was successfully established in group CRF (10 rats) and group CRF+SAA (10 rats). Ten rats were selected as sham-operated group (group S), in which only the capsules of both kidneys were removed. The rats in group CRF+SAA were intragastrically administrated with 10 mg/kg SAA for 8 weeks. The blood urine nitrogen (BUN), urine creatinine (Ucr), creatinine clearance rate (Ccr), and serum uperoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were tested. The expressions of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP-7) and Smad6 protein in renal tissue were determined. Results: After treatment, compared with group CRF, in group CRF+SAA the BUN, Scr, serum MDA and kidney/body weight ratio were decreased, the Ccr and serum SOD were increased, the TGF-β1 protein expression level in renal tissue was decreased, and the BMP-7 and Smad6 protein levels were increased (all P < 0.05). Conclusion: SAA can alleviate the renal damage in CRF rats through anti-oxidant stress, down-regulation of TGF-β1 signaling pathway and up-regulation of BMP-7/Smad6 signaling pathway.

Inhibition of FOXO3a/BIM signaling pathway contributes to the protective effect of salvianolic acid A against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury

Salvianolic acid A (SalA) is an effective compound extracted from traditional Chinese medicine Bunge. The Forkhead box O3a (FOXO3a) signaling pathway plays crucial roles in the modulation of ischemia-induced cell apoptosis. However, no information about the regulatory effect of SalA on FoxO3a is available. To explore the anti-cerebral ischemia effect and clarify the therapeutic mechanism of SalA, SH-SY5Y cells and Sprague-Dawley rats were applied, which were exposed to oxygen glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) and middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) injuries, respectively. The involved pathway was identified using the specific inhibitor LY294002. Results showed that SalA concentration-dependently inhibited OGD/R injury triggered cell viability loss. SalA reduced cerebral infarction, lowered brain edema, improved neurological function, and inhibited neuron apoptosis in MCAO/R rats, which were attenuated by the treatment of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase (PI3K) specific inhibitor LY294002. SalA time- and concentration-dependently upregulated the phosphorylation levels of protein kinase B (AKT) and its downstream protein FOXO3a. Moreover, the nuclear translocation of FOXO3a was inhibited by SalA both and , which was also reversed by LY294002. The above results indicated that SalA fought against ischemia/reperfusion damage at least partially the AKT/FOXO3a/BIM pathway.

Salvianolic Acid A Protects Neonatal Cardiomyocytes Against Hypoxia/Reoxygenation-Induced Injury by Preserving Mitochondrial Function and Activating Akt/GSK-3β Signals / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effects of salvianolic acid A (SAA) on cardiomyocyte apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction in response to hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury and to determine whether the Akt signaling pathway might play a role.@*METHODS@#An in vitro model of H/R injury was used to study outcomes on primary cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. The cardiomyocytes were treated with 12.5, 25, 50 μg/mL SAA at the beginning of hypoxia and reoxygenation, respectively. Adenosine triphospate (ATP) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were assayed. Cell apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry and the expression of cleaved-caspase 3, Bax and Bcl-2 were detected by Western blotting. The effects of SAA on mitochondrial dysfunction were examined by determining the mitochondrial membrane potential (△Ψm) and mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP), followed by the phosphorylation of Akt (p-Akt) and GSK-3β (p-GSK-3β), which were measured by Western blotting.@*RESULTS@#SAA significantly preserved ATP levels and reduced ROS production. Importantly, SAA markedly reduced the number of apoptotic cells and decreased cleaved-caspase 3 expression levels, while also reducing the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2. Furthermore, SAA prevented the loss of △Ψm and inhibited the activation of mPTP. Western blotting experiments further revealed that SAA significantly increased the expression of p-Akt and p-GSK-3β, and the increase in p-GSK-3β expression was attenuated after inhibition of the Akt signaling pathway with LY294002.@*CONCLUSION@#SAA has a protective effect on cardiomyocyte H/R injury; the underlying mechanism may be related to the preservation of mitochondrial function and the activation of the Akt/GSK-3β signaling pathway.

Comparison of antithrombotic effects between salvianolic acid A and aspirin / 药学学报

This study was designed to compare the antithrombotic effects of salvianolic acid A and aspirin. The anti-platelet aggregation and anticoagulant effects of salvianolic acid A and aspirin in vitro and in vivo were investigated in normal rats. The anti-cerebral ischemia and anti-platelet aggregation effects of salvianolic acid A and aspirin were also investigated in rats with thrombotic cerebral ischemia. All animal care and experimental procedures were reviewed and approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. The results of antiplatelet aggregation in vitro and in vivo showed that salvianolic acid A could mildly inhibit adenosine diphosphate (ADP), arachidonic acid (AA) and thrombin (THR)-induced antiplatelet aggregation in a dose-dependent manner, while aspirin played a strong inhibitory effect on AA-induced platelet aggregation in vivo. The effects of salvianolic acid A and aspirin on the coagulation system were similar. At the same time, the results of maximum platelet aggregation rate (MAR) in the rat cerebral ischemia model [MARADP= (41.67±4.55)%, MARAA= (53.22±2.83)%, MARTHR= (73.33±5.04)%] indicated that salvianolic acid A could mildly inhibit ADP and AA-induced antiplatelet aggregation [MARADP= (26.13±4.60)%, MARAA= (35.53±13.73)%, P<0.01], while aspirin played a strong inhibitory effect on AA-induced platelet aggregation [MARAA= (8.13±2.99)%]. Salvianolic acid A (10 mg·kg-1) significantly improved the neurological function, cerebral infarction volume [(10.77±7.80)%] and brain edema [(79.72±0.83)%] compared with the model group [(43.50±12.69)%, (82.25±0.89)%] (P<0.01), while the effect of aspirin (100 mg·kg-1) was not obvious. The above results suggest that compared with aspirin, salvianolic acid A provided a mild inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation and protected against cerebral ischemia induced by thrombus. Therefore, salvianolic acid A has a good application prospect in the prevention and treatment of thrombotic diseases.

Salvianolic acid A attenuates ischemia reperfusion induced rat brain damage by protecting the blood brain barrier through MMP-9 inhibition and anti-inflammation / 中国天然药物

Salvianolic acid A (SAA) is a water-soluble component from the root of Salvia Miltiorrhiza Bge, a traditional Chinese medicine, which has been used for the treatment of cerebrovascular diseases for centuries. The present study aimed to determine the brain protective effects of SAA against cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury in rats, and to figure out whether SAA could protect the blood brain barrier (BBB) through matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9) inhibition. A focal cerebral ischemia reperfusion model was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for 1.5-h followed by 24-h reperfusion. SAA was administered intravenously at doses of 5, 10, and 20 mg·kg. SAA significantly reduced the infarct volumes and neurological deficit scores. Immunohistochemical analyses showed that SAA treatments could also improve the morphology of neurons in hippocampus CA1 and CA3 regions and increase the number of neurons. Western blotting analyses showed that SAA downregulated the levels of MMP-9 and upregulated the levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) to attenuate BBB injury. SAA treatment significantly prevented MMP-9-induced degradation of ZO-1, claudin-5 and occludin proteins. SAA also prevented cerebral NF-κB p65 activation and reduced inflammation response. Our results suggested that SAA could be a promising agent to attenuate cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury through MMP-9 inhibition and anti-inflammation activities.

Protective effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza and Carthamus tinctorius active ingredients in different compatibility on cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats / 中草药

Objective To explore the protective effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza and Carthamus tinctorius active ingredients in different compatibility on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. Methods Adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were selected to establish a cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury model by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) method. The rats were randomly divided into sham operation group, model group, and positive control group (Danhong Injection 2 mL/kg); And orthogonal test method L9(34) was adopted to compose nine compatibility groups from main active ingredients of S. miltiorrhiza and C. tinctorius (trashinol, salvianolic acid A, salvianolic acid B, and HYSA). Rats were tail iv administrated once daily for continuous 3 d. Score neurological deficit was evaluated after 3 d; qRT-PCR was used to detect mRNA expression of glucose regulated protein 78 (GRP-78), nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6); HE staining was used to detect the pathological changes of cerebral cortex, and the expression of NF-κB p65 protein in cerebral cortex was detected by immunohistochemistry. Results Compared to the model group, Danhong Injection group and orthogonal compatibility nine groups significantly reduced the neurological deficit scores of rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion; increased the mRNA expression of GRP-78 in the cerebral cortex; decrease the mRNA expression of NF-κB, CHOP, TNF-α, and IL-6, and decrease the protein expression of NF-κB p65 in the cerebral cortex. The results also showed that the protective effects of the 4th group (danshensu 30 mg/kg, salvianolic acid A 2.5 mg/kg, salvianolic acid B 16 mg/kg, and HYSA 8 mg/kg), 6th group (trashinol 30 mg/kg, salvianolic acid A 10 mg/kg, salvianolic acid B 8 mg/kg, and HYSA 4 mg/kg) in the 9th group were more significant for cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury in rats. Conclusion The active components of S. miltiorrhiza and C. tinctorius can play a good protective role in endoplasmic reticulum stress and inflammation in rats with cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury.

Salvianolic acid A attenuates ischemia reperfusion induced rat brain damage by protecting the blood brain barrier through MMP-9 inhibition and anti-inflammation / 中国天然药物

Salvianolic acid A (SAA) is a water-soluble component from the root of Salvia Miltiorrhiza Bge, a traditional Chinese medicine, which has been used for the treatment of cerebrovascular diseases for centuries. The present study aimed to determine the brain protective effects of SAA against cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury in rats, and to figure out whether SAA could protect the blood brain barrier (BBB) through matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9) inhibition. A focal cerebral ischemia reperfusion model was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for 1.5-h followed by 24-h reperfusion. SAA was administered intravenously at doses of 5, 10, and 20 mg·kg. SAA significantly reduced the infarct volumes and neurological deficit scores. Immunohistochemical analyses showed that SAA treatments could also improve the morphology of neurons in hippocampus CA1 and CA3 regions and increase the number of neurons. Western blotting analyses showed that SAA downregulated the levels of MMP-9 and upregulated the levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) to attenuate BBB injury. SAA treatment significantly prevented MMP-9-induced degradation of ZO-1, claudin-5 and occludin proteins. SAA also prevented cerebral NF-κB p65 activation and reduced inflammation response. Our results suggested that SAA could be a promising agent to attenuate cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury through MMP-9 inhibition and anti-inflammation activities.

Salvianolic acid A attenuates vascular remodeling in pulmonary arterial hypertension rats induced by monocrotaline / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

OBJECTIVE Salvianolic acid A (SAA) is one of the most bioactive compounds from a traditional Chinese medicine called Dan Shen(Salvia Miltiorrhiza Bunge)and exhibits many pharmaco-logical activities.Previous studies have indicated that SAA may inhibit endothelial dysfunction and vascular remodeling in spontaneously hypertensive rats. However, whether SAA improves vascular remodeling induced by pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) remains unknown. In this study we examined whether SAA attenuated vascular remodeling in a PAH rat induced by monocrotaline(MCT),and elucidated the underlying mechanisms.METHODS PAH was induced in rats by injecting a single dose of monocrotaline (MCT 60 mg·kg-1).The rats were orally treated with either SAA(0.3,1,3 mg·kg-1·d-1)or a positive con-trol Bosentan(30 mg·kg-1·d-1)for 4 weeks.Echocardiography and hemodynamic measurements were performed on d 28.Then the hearts and lungs were harvested,the organ indices and pulmonary artery wall thickness were calculated,and biochemical and histochemical analysis were conducted.The levels of apoptotic and signaling proteins in the lungs were measured using immunoblotting.RESULTS Treatment with SAA effectively ameliorated MCT-induced pulmonary artery remodeling,pulmonary hemodynamic ab-normalities and the subsequent increases of right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP). Furthermore, the treatments significantly attenuated MCT-induced hypertrophic damage of myocardium,parenchymal in-jury and collagen deposition in the lungs.Moreover,the treatments attenuated MCT-induced apoptosis and fibrosis in the lungs.The treatments partially restored MCT-induced reductions of bone morphoge-netic protein typeⅡ receptor (BMPRⅡ) and phosphorylated Smad1/5 in the lungs. CONCLUSION SAA ameliorates the pulmonary arterial remodeling in MCT-induced PAH rats most likely via activating the BMPRII-Smad pathway and inhibiting apoptosis.Thus,SAA may have therapeutic potential for the pa-tients at high risk of PAH.

Activation of Nrf2 attenuates pulmonary vascular remodeling via inhibiting endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

OBJECTIVE To investigate the pharmacological effect and mechanism of Salvianolic acid A (SAA) on pulmonary vascular remodeling. METHODS In current study, we conducted a series of experiments to clarify the effect of SAA,a kind of polyphenol compound,in the process of EndMT in human pulmonary arterial endothelial cells and in vivo therapeutic efficacy on vascular remodeling in monocrotaline (MCT)-induced EndMT. EndMT was also induced by TGF-β1in human pulmonary arterial endothelial cells(HPAECs) in vitro.RESULTS SAA significantly attenuated EndMT,simul-taneously inhibited cell migration and reactive oxygen species(ROS)formation.In MCT-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension(PAH)model,SAA improved vascular function,decreased TGF-β1level and inhib-ited inflammation. Mechanistically, SAA stimulated Nrf2 translocation and subsequent heme oxygen-ase-1(HO-1)up-regulation.The effect of SAA on EndMT in vitro was abolished by ZnPP,a HO-1 inhibitor. CONCLUSION This study indicates a deleterious impact of oxidative stress on EndMT. Polyphenol antioxidant treatment may provide an adjunctive action to alleviate pulmonary vascular remodeling via inhibiting EndMT.

Protective Effect of Salvianolic Acid A on Brain Endothelial Cells after Treatment with Deprivation and Reperfusion of Oxygen-glucose / 中草药·英文版

Objective Salvianolic acid A (SAA) has a significant protective effect on ischemia/reperfusion injury of brain. However, it is not clear for SAA to exert its cerebral protection by targeting at the microvascular endothelial cells of blood brain barrier (BBB). Our previous study demonstrated that SAA could hardly pass through the BBB. This present study was therefore designed to investigate the protective effect of SAA on brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) induced by deprivation and reperfusion with oxygen-glucose. Methods Rat BMECs were treated with oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD), followed by reperfusion (OGD/R). Cell viability was assessed by MTT and the content of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells after OGD/R in the absence or presence of SAA. GC-MS based metabolomic platform was applied to evaluate the regulation of SAA on the cellular metabolic perturbation induced by OGD/R. Results OGD/R significantly increased the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and decreased the activity of cells. SAA significantly reduced ROS and improve the cell viability. Metabolomic study revealed distinct perturbation of metabolic pathways of energy metabolism in the BMEC induced by OGD/R, while SAA significantly regulated the perturbed metabolism involved in energy metabolism pathways, especially for intermediates in TCA cycle. Conclusion SAA shows protective effects on BMECs involved in central nervous system.

Salvianolic acid A alleviates renal injury in systemic lupus erythematosus induced by pristane in BALB/c mice

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of salvianolic acid A (SAA) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) induced by pristane in BALB/c mice. Lupus mice were established by confirming elevated levels of autoantibodies and IL-6 after intraperitoneal injection of pristane. Mice were then treated with daily oral doses of SAA for 5 months in parallel with mice treated with prednisone and aspirin as positive controls. The levels of autoantibodies were monitored at monthly intervals and nephritic symptoms observed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining. Western blot analysis of renal tissue was also employed. SAA treatment caused a significant reduction in the levels of anti-Sm autoantibodies and reduced renal histopathological changes and pathological effects. SAA treatment also significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of IKK, IB and NFB in renal tissues of lupus mice. In conclusion, the results suggest that SAA alleviates renal injury in pristane-induced SLE in BALB/c mice through inhibition of phosphorylation of IKK, IB and NFB.

Salvianolic acid A ameliorates AGEs-induced glomerular endothelial dysfunction and protects against diabetic nephropathy / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

OBJECTIVE Diabetic nephropathy (DN) has been one of the most common complications of diabetes and the leading cause of end-stage renal disease. Glomerular hyperfiltrationis central in earlystage of DN and leads to the progression of renal architectonic and functional abnormalities. Salvi?anolic acid A (SalA) has been proved to protect diabetic complications such as hepatic fibrosis and neuropathy. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of SalAon glomerular endothelial dysfunctionand diabetic nephropathy. METHODS Primary glomerular endothelial cells were subjected to assess permeability under injury of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs). AGEs-induced changes of RhoA/ROCK pathway and cytoskeleton rearrangement were assessed bywestern blotandimmunoflu?orescence. The beneficial effects of SalA on diabetic nephropathy were investigated in a rat model induced by high-fat and high-glucose diet combined with low dose of streptozocin (35 mg·kg- 1, ip). Renal function and architectonic changes were evaluated by biochemical assay and PAS staining. RESULTS SalA 3μMameliorated AGEs- induced glomerular endothelial permeability (P<0.05) and suppressed rearrangement of cytoskeleton through inhibiting AGE-RAGE-RhoA/ROCK pathway. SalA 1 mg · kg- 1 markedly reduced endothelium loss (P<0.01) and glomerular hyperfiltration (P<0.05) in diabetic kidney. Subsequently,SalA 1 mg·kg-1 suppressed glomerular hypertrophy and mesangial matrix expansion, eventually reduced 24 h-urinary albumin and ameliorated renal function by decreasing blood urine nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (Scr) and serum n-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase (NAG). AGEs-RAGE-Nox4-induced oxidative stress was suppressed by the treatment of SalA 1 mg·kg-1. CONCLUSION SalA ameliorated AGEs-induced glomerular endothelial hyperpermeability, and effec?tively protected against early-stage diabetic nephropathy by reducing hyperfiltration and alleviating renal structural deterioration through inhibiting AGEs and its downstream pathway. Thus, SalA might be a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy.

Salvianolic acid A protects rats against cerebral ischemic injury by regulation Wnt/glycogen synthase-kinase-3β/β-catenin signaling pathw ay / 国际脑血管病杂志

Objective To investigate the protective effect of salvianolic acid A (SAA) on permanent focal cerebral ischemia in rats and its possible mechanisms. Methods Fifty-four adult male Sprague-Daw ley rats w ere randomly divided into a sham operation group, a cerebral ischemia group, and a SAA group ( n =18 in each group). A model of permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion w as induced by the intraluminal suture method.At 0 h and 6 h after modeling, the rats of the SAA groups w ere intraperitonealy injected SAA (3 mg/kg). The other groups w ere injected equal volume of saline. At 24 h after modeling, the neurological deficit scores w ere performed. 2,3,5-Triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining w as used to detect cerebral infarction volume. TUNEL staining w as used to detect cel apoptosis. Both immunohistochemical staining and Western blotting w ere used to detect the expressions of Wnt3a, β-catenin, and phosphor-glycogen synthase-kinase-3β(p-GSK-3β) in the ischemic cortex. Results The neurological deficit scores show ed that no neurological deficits w ere observed in the sham operation group (score 0). The neurological deficit score in the SAA group (median and interquartile range) w as significantly low er than that in the cerebral ischemia group (3 [2-3] vs.4 [3-5]; Z = -2.679, P =0.007). No infarcts w ere observed in the sham operation group. The infarct volume in the SAA group w as reduced significantly compared w ith the cerebral ischemia group (79.038 ±10.665 mm 3 vs.212.702 ±8.029 mm 3; t = 24.525, P < 0.001). Very few positive cels w ere observed in the sham operation group. The numbers of TUNEL -positive cels in the SAA group and the cerebral ischemia group w ere 29.667 ±1.366/HP and 63.333 ±0.894/HP, respectively. The former w as significantly less than the latter ( t = 14.115, P < 0.001). Immunohistochemical staining show ed that the number of Wnt3a positive cels in the sham operation group, the cerebral ischemia group, and the SAA group w ere 35.500 ±2.572/HP, 18.056 ±3.765/HP, and 29.000 ±2.376/HP, respectively. There w ere significant differences among the 3 groups ( F = 115.972, P < 0.001), and those in the SAA group w ere significantly more than the cerebral ischemia group ( P < 0.01). The numbers of p-GSK-3βpositive cels in the sham operation group, the model group, and the SAA group w ere 7.944 ±2.127/HP, 37.444 ±3.434/HP, and 11.222 ±1.734/HP, respectively. There w ere significant differences among the three groups (F =730.580, P < 0.001), and those in the SAA group w ere significantly less than the cerebral ischemia group ( P < 0.01). The numbers of β-catenin positive cels in the sham operation group, the cerebral ischemia group, and the SAA group w ere 26.722 ±26.722/HP, 16.556 ±1.854/HP, and 21.333 ± 1.940/HP, respectively. There w ere also significant differences among the 3 groups ( F < 33.385, P <0.01), and those in the SAA group w ere significantly more than the cerebral ischemia group ( P < 0.01). Western blot analysis show ed that Wnt3a expression levels in the sham operated group, the cerebral ischemia group, and the SAA group w ere 1.000 ±0.190, 0.800 ±0.185, and 1.198 ±0.262, respectively. There w ere significant differences among 3 groups ( F = 9.621, P < 0.001), and those in the SAA group w ere significantly higher than the cerebral ischemia group ( P < 0.01). The p-GSK-3βexpression levels in the sham operation group, the cerebral ischemia group, and the SAA group w ere 0.650 ±0.150, 1.290 ± 0.250, and 1.190 ±0.250, respectively. There w ere also significant differences among the 3 groups ( F =19.668, P < 0.001), and those in the SAA group w ere significantly higher than the cerebral ischemia group (P <0.01). The β-catenin expression levels in the sham operation group, the cerebral ischemia group, and the SAA group w ere 1.200 ±0.210, 0.500 ±0.120, and 1.100 ±0.220, respectively. There w ere significant differences among the 3 groups ( F = 33.385, P < 0.001), and those in the SAA group w ere significantly higher than the cerebral ischemia group ( P < 0.01). Conclusions SAA has certain protective effect on permanent cerebral ischemia injury in rats. Its mechanism may be associated w ith the up -regulation of the expression of Wnt3a and β-catenin and the dow n-regulation of the expression of p-GSK-3β.