Puerarin alleviates coronary heart disease via suppressing inflammation in a rat model.

BACKGROUND: Puerarin shows inhibitory effects on inflammation in chronic heart failure (CHF), but its efficacy in coronary heart disease (CHD) remained vague. METHODS: Rat CHD model was constructed, and serum parameters were determined using a blood liquid biochemical analyzer. Also, contents of creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase MB isoenzyme (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and cardiac troponin (cTnT) were measured using colorimetry. Histological examination was conducted with Hematoxylin-Eosin (H&E) staining, and cardiac function was assessed by Echocardiography. Cell apoptosis was detected using Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Relative expressions were measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot as needed. RESULTS: In CHD rats, the levels of TC, LDL and TG and the expressions of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), CD40 ligand (CD40L), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were increased while HDL level was decreased, accompanied with inflammatory cell infiltration and cardiac malfunction. Also, the contents of CK, CK-MB, LDH and cTnT, the percentage of apoptotic cells, the expressions of Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax), cleaved Caspase-3, TNF-α, Interleukin-ß (IL-ß), IL-6 and Lipoprotein-associated Phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) expressions and the levels of oxidized-(ox-)LDL and malondialdehyde (MDA) were upregulated, while the level of super oxidase dismutase (SOD) and the expressions of B cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were downregulated. However, Puerarin ameliorated the effects of CHD model construction, suppressed nuclear factor-(NF-)κB expression, and enhanced the expressions of Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR), phosphorylated-AKT (p-AKT) and phosphorylated-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (p-STAT3). CONCLUSION: Puerarin alleviated CHD in rats via inhibiting inflammation, providing possible method for CHD treatment.