Effects of curcumin on the extracellular matrix of aorta in cardiac overloaded rats / 中国临床药理学与治疗学

ABSTRACT

AIM: To study the effect of curcumin on the extracellular matrix of aorta in cardiac overloaded rats. METHODS: Cardiac overloaded model was made by partial click of the abdominal aorta in Sprague Dawley rats. Curcmin, 100 mg?kg -1 ?d -1 for 3 weeks, was given by po 1 week after the click operation. The ratio of aorta wet weight to body weight was calculated; the collagen content was measured with Woessner's method and the activity of matrix metallproteinase 2 was analyzed with zymography. RESULTS: In cardiac overloaded rats, the wet weight and collagen content of aorta was increased, and the activity of matrix metallproteinse 2 of aorta was decreased. Compared with the cardiac overloaded rats without any drugs, the increased weight and collagen content of aorta was reversed, but the activity of matrix metallproteinse 2 of aorta was seldom changed in curcumin treated rats. CONCLUSION: Curcumin can reverse the hypertrophy of aorta of cardiac overloaded rats mainly by means of inhibiting the synthesis of collagen.