Effect of xuezhikang on vascular endothelial function and redox balance in patients with carotid atherosclerosis / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the effect of xuezhikang on blood lipids,vascular endothelial function and redox balance in patients with carotid atherosclerosis.Methods A total of 108 inpatients with carotid atherosclerosis in cardiology department were randomly divided into two groups:xuezhikang group (n = 54) and cholestyramin group (n= 54).Before and after treatment,the levels of total cholesterol (TC),triglyceride (TG),low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C),nitric oxide (NO),endothelin-1 (ET-1),reduced glutathione (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) of all patients were measured.The GSH/GSSG as redox potentials were calculated according to Nernst equation.Results After 12 weeks of treatment,the levels of blood lipids were lower than before treatment in xuezhikang group [TC:(3.94±1.36) mmol/L vs.(5.68±1.47) mmol/L;LDL-C:(2.28±1.11) mmol/L vs.(3.43±1.36) mmol/L;TG:(1.54±0.59) mmol/L vs.(1.73±0.66)mmol/L;t=3.915,4.160,2.187;P<0.01,0.01,0.05,respectively],and the levels of blood lipids also decreased in cholestyramin group [TC:(4.15 ± 1.29) mmol/L vs.(5.73 ± 1.52)mmol/L;LDLC:(2.56± 1.06) mmol/L vs.(3.37± 1.35) mmol/L;TG:(1.69±0.57) mmol/L vs.(1.72±0.67) mmol/L;t=3.760,4.035,1.893;P<0.01,0.01,>0.05,respectively].In xuezhikang group,ET-1,GSSG and GSSG/GSH ratios decreased significantly [(121.71 + 59.11) ng/L vs.(154.43±63.06) ng/L;(30.42± 1.59) μmol/L vs.(33.93±1.74) μ mol/L;-146.1±4.4vs.-142.3±4.3;t=2.168,2.325,4.168;P<0.05,0.05,0.01,respectively],and NO,NO/ET-1 ratios,GSH and GSH/GSSG increased significantly [(64.40 ± 18.86) μmol/L vs.(48.41 ±16.53) μmol/L;(0.54±0.19) vs.(0.33±0.16);(321.27±56.47) μmol/L vs.(286.11±38.23)μmol/L;(10.56±1.70) vs.(8.65±1.18);t=3.725,3.987,3.894,4.168;all P<0.01].Conclusions For patients with carotid atherosclerosis,both xuezhikang and cholestyramin could lower blood lipids efficiently,but only xuezhikang could protect vascular endothelial function partly,and makes plasma redox imbalance shift the balance.