RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of icariin on vascular endothelial cells (VECs) injury induced by hypoxia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The hypoxia-ischemia model was established. The effect of icariin on injury of VECs activity induced by hypoxia was determined by MTT assay. The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in cell homogenate were measured with corresponding kit. Effect of icariin on cells apoptosis induced by hypoxia was determined by Hoechst 33342 fluorescent staining, cell ultrastructure observation under transmission electron microscopy and analysis on gene fragmentation by flow cytometry and DNA gel electrophoresis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>ICA could inhibit the hypoxia induced VECs reduction, suppress LDH activity, reduce the MDA production, and enhance SOD activity under hypoxia. Hypoxia could induce VECs apoptosis, revealed chromation condensed in nuclei with the fragments arranged along the nuclear membrane. DNA gel electrophoresis showed typical ladder strands of DNA. Cells displayed a typical sub-diploid peak in flow cytometry. ICA could significantly inhibit the hypoxia induced apoptosis of VECs.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>ICA has the protective effect on hypoxia injured VECs, which may be related to its effect of anti-apoptosis, anti-lipid peroxidation and SOD activity enhancing.</p>
