Our previous study showed that Kangen-karyu extract protected against cellular senescence by reducing oxidative damage through the inhibition of reactive oxygen species generation and regulation of the antioxidative status. Although these findings suggest that Kangen-karyu could delay the aging process, the mechanisms responsible for protection against aging have rarely been elucidated. Therefore, this study was focussed on the mechanisms responsible for the anti-aging activity of Kangen-karyu extract using hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2))-induced human diploid fibroblasts, a well-established experimental model of cellular aging. Kangen-karyu extract exerted a protective effect against the morphological changes induced by H(2)O(2) treatment and inhibited senescence-associated beta-galactosidase activity. In addition, the beneficial effects of Kangen-karyu extract on cell viability and lifespan indicated that Kangen-karyu extract could delay the cellular aging process. The observation that Kangen-karyu extract prevented nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) translocation in response to oxidative stress suggested that Kangen-karyu exerted its anti-aging effect through NF-kappaB modulation and prevention of H(2)O(2)-induced overexpression of haem oxygenase-1 protein. Moreover, pretreatment with Kangen-karyu extract reduced overexpression of bax protein and prevented the mitochondrial membrane potential decline, suggesting that Kangen-karyu extract may protect mitochondria from mitochondrial oxidative stress and dysfunction. These findings indicate that Kangen-karyu is a promising potential anti-aging agent that may delay, or normalize, the aging process by virtue of its protective activity against oxidative stress-related conditions.
As indicated in ancient Chinese medical books, Corydalis yanhusuo has therapeutic effects on cardiovascular diseases. The analgesic effect of this plant has been fully elucidated, and l-tetrahydropalmatine has been shown to be the main active principle. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate its protective effects in a rat heart failure model. Rats were subjected to coronary artery ligation, and orally administered with ethanolic extract of Corydalis yanhusuo 50, 100, or 200 mg kg(-1) daily, from the 7th day after surgery. We measured cardiac function, plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), relative heart and lung weights, infarct size and ventricular dilatation after treatment for 8 weeks. Administration with Corydalis yanhusuo led to a significant reduction in infarct size and improvement in cardiac function as demonstrated by lower left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) and elevated +/-dp/dt(max). We also found that Corydalis yanhusuo significantly reduced left ventricular (LV)/body weight ratio, lung/body weight ratio and significantly inhibited neurohormonal activation. Taken together, this study indicated that Corydalis yanhusuo exerted salutary effects on heart failure induced by myocardial infarction in rats.
The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the effect of an extract from Corydalis yanhusuo W.T., a Chinese herbal medicine, on ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and to determine the mechanism(s) involved. In rats, the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery was occluded for 30 min and then reperfused for 6 h. 0.5% carboxymethyl cellulose sodium was used as a vehicle (I/R control group) and Corydalis yanhusuo rhizoma extract (I/R + CY 200, 100 mg/kg groups) were given. Infarct size and hemodynamic parameters were measured. Apoptosis was detected quantitatively by the terminal transferase dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) method and confirmed by DNA laddering on agarose gel. The expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and pro-apoptotic Bax proteins was visualized by western blot analysis. In contrast to the I/R control group, administration with CY 200 mg/kg resulted in a significant reduction in the infarct size and an improvement in heart function as evidenced by higher LVSP and +/-dp/dtmax. TUNEL-positive cells in the ischemic myocardium were also significantly reduced in the I/R + CY 200, 100 mg/kg groups, consistent with little DNA laddering in these two groups. Furthermore, greater Bcl-2 and attenuated Bax expression was found in the CY treated rats. These results suggest that the protective effect of Corydalis yanhusuo on myocardial I/R injury is closely associated with the inhibition of myocardial apoptosis through modulation of the Bcl-2 family.
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