Effect of Ruscus extract and hesperidin methylchalcone on hypoxia-induced activation of endothelial cells.

BACKGROUND: Ruscus aculeatus extract and the flavonoid hesperidin methylchalcone (HMC) are drugs used in the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency. METHODS: In the present study, we investigated their effects on the activation of endothelial cells by hypoxia, a condition which mimics venous blood stasis. RESULTS: We observed that Ruscus extract was able to inhibit the activation of endothelial cells by hypoxia: the decrease in ATP content, the activation of phospholipase A2 as well as the subsequent increase in neutrophil adherence with a maximal protection obtained at 50 microg/ml. HMC was also able to inhibit the hypoxia-induced decrease in ATP content. Furthermore, the effects of Ruscus extract and of HMC on this decrease seem to be additive. CONCLUSIONS: The biochemical mechanism evidenced in this work might explain some of the beneficial therapeutic effects of these products in the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency patients.