Cardioprotective effects and underlying mechanism of Radix Salvia�miltiorrhiza and Lignum Dalbergia�odorifera in a pig chronic myocardial ischemia model

Abstract

Traditional Chinese medicines, including Radix Salvia miltiorrhiza (SM) and Lignum Dalbergia odorifera (DO) extracts, have historically been used to treat myocardial ischemia and other cardiovascular diseases. The volatile oil of DO (DOO) is one of the main components of DO. The aim of the present study was to assess the cardioprotective effects and possible underlying mechanisms of SM-DOO in pigs with ameroid constriction-induced chronic myocardial ischemia. An ameroid constrictor was placed around the left anterior descending coronary artery of pigs to induce chronic myocardial ischemia. At weeks 2, 6 and 8, myocardial injury markers and blood gas levels were detected. At week 8, coronary angiography, echocardiography and hemodynamics analysis were performed to evaluate myocardial function. Following sacrifice, myocardial tissue was collected and subjected to morphological, histopathological and apoptosis assays. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression of Bcl-2 associated X (Bax), Bcl-2, Akt, phosphorylated (p)-Akt, glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3β and p-GSK-3β. It was revealed that SM-DOO treatment following chronic myocardial ischemia significantly downregulated the expression of myocardial injury markers, ameliorated myocardial oxygen consumption, increased collateralization, reduced regional cardiac dysfunction and limited the extent of myocardial damage. Furthermore, the results of an apoptosis assay revealed that the apoptosis rate was decreased, the expression of Bax decreased and Bcl-2 increased, and the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax was increased. Further experiments indicated that treatment with SM-DOO increased the phosphorylation of Akt and GSK-3β. These findings suggest that SM-DOO treatment ameliorates myocardial injury in a chronic myocardial ischemia model, and that the underlying mechanisms responsible may be associated with the activation of the Akt/GSK-3β signal pathway. Thus, experimental evidence that SM-DOO may be an effective drug for the prevention and treatment of chronic myocardial ischemia in clinical applications has been provided.

Salvia miltiorrhiza and the Volatile of Dalbergia odorifera Attenuate Chronic Myocardial Ischemia Injury in a Pig Model: A Metabonomic Approach for the Mechanism Study

“…Previously, we reported that SM—the volatile oil of DO (SM-DOO)—exhibited a significant effect in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) injury rats in both traditional pharmacological methods and metabonomic methods [ 13 , 14 ]. On this basis of these data, traditional pharmacological methods (myocardial injury markers, myocardial oxygen consumption, ventricular function, and myocardial tissue damage) were used to evaluate the therapeutic effect of SM-DOO on chronic myocardial ischemia in pigs [ 15 ]. Results showed that the chronic myocardial model was successfully constructed and the SM-DOO treatment was effective.…”

Scutellarin protects against diabetic cardiomyopathy via inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammatory response in mice

“…CK-MB, LDH, and cTnI are three important biochemical markers, which reflect the injury degree of heart disease (14). Levels of CK-MB, LDH, and cTnI in serum of mice increased significantly in DM group compared with control, which decreased in Scu treatment.…”

Protective Activity of Aspirin Eugenol Ester on Paraquat‐Induced Cell Damage in SH‐SY5Y Cells

“…The delicate balance between Bax and Bcl-2 regulates cell integrity and controls cell survival. When this balance is broken by external factors, it activates the signaling process of cell death [ 53 ]. In mammalian cells, Bcl-2 family proteins regulate the release of mitochondrial cytochrome c into the cytoplasm and further activate caspase family proteins [ 54 , 55 ].…”