ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the therapeutic mechanisms of Danshen injection in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP).</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The experimental serum was collected from 6 patients with ICP before therapy when in hospital. Endothelial cells were isolated from human umbilical veins chosen among the 10 normal pregnancy according to Jaffe's method. Serum of 20% concentration of ICP and different concentration of Danshen injection were cocultured with human vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) for 24 hours. MTT method was applied to measuring the vitality of HUVECs. The expression value of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) of different groups was detected by immunocytochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) respectively.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Compared with ICP group, the value of MTT and VEGF in the Danshen injection therapeutic groups were increased with the increase of concentration and moreover, 8 g x L(-1) of Danshen injection was the optical concentration. By immunocytochemistry, the expression of VEGF in HUVECs in the Danshen injection therapeutic groups was also enhanced with the increase of concentration.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Danshen injection can protect HUVECs against the injury of ICP serum and promote the expression of VEGF. Danshen injection improves HUVECs by increasing the value of VEGF.</p>