Effect of Xin Mai Jia on atherosclerosis in rats.

We investigated the therapeutic effect of Xin Mai Jia (XMJ) on atherosclerosis (AS) in rats. Rat models of AS were established by peritoneally injecting vitamin D, feeding a high-fat diet, and inducing balloon injuries in rats. The stomachs of the rats were irrigated continuously for 10 weeks with XMJ. Blood lipid- and hemorheology-related indices of blood samples were detected. Pathological changes in the right common carotid arterial tissues were also determined. The protein expression levels of endothelial nitric oxide synthase, angio-tensin-1, and endothelin-1 were determined by western blotting. XMJ reduced cholesterol, trigylecride, and low-density lipoprotein levels as well as blood viscosity, sedimentation, and hematocrit. Furthermore, XMJ alleviated vascular endothelial injury and reduced/eliminated atherosclerotic plaques. In contrast, XMJ significantly increased the endothelium-dependent relaxing response of the AS rat models. The western blotting results showed that XMJ upregulated endothelial nitric oxide synthase but downregulated angiotensin-1 and endothelin-1. XMJ prevented the development of AS by regulating blood lipid levels, hemorheology, and vascular function.

[Genetic transformation of hairy roots in Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim. by Ti and Ri plasmids].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a hairy root culture system by double transformation for Trichosanthes kirilowii. METHOD: 1. Crown galls were induced by direct infection of sterile seedlings of T. kirilonii with Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58, and then the hairy roots were obtained from the regenerated plants by infection with A. rhzogenes 15834; 2. Transformation of Ti and Ri plasmids was inspected by high-pressure-paper electrophoresis; 3. The protein contents in the tissues of T. kirilowii were inspected by spectrophotometer and SDS-PAGE. RESULT: A hairy root culture system has been established successfully by double transformation with Ti and Ri plasmids in T. kirilowii. CONCLUSION: Compared with the ordinary hairy roots, the double transformed hairy roots grow faster but retain similar protein contents.

[Mechanisms of yiqi tongluo pill on oxygen free radicals, nitric oxide and fibrinolysis in coronary heart diseases and hypertension patients].

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the mechanism of Yiqi Tongluo Pill (YQTLP) in treating coronary heart disease and hypertension. METHODS: The clinical effects of YQTLP on 97 coronary heart diseases (CHD) and hypertension patients, in comparing to the 92 patients treated with nitroglycerin was investigated. The changes of plasma lipid peroxide (LPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) and nitric oxide (NO) were observed in the patients treated with YQTLP and nitroglycerin, which were compared to 30 healthy subjects. RESULTS: The levels of LPO and PAI increased and the levels of SOD, t-PA and NO decreased significantly in the patients. The clinical effects of YQTLP were better than that of nitroglycerin in the patients with unstable angina, while the effects of YQTLP were worse than that of nitroglycerin in the patients of hypertension and hypertension with CHD. YQTLP could decrease the levels of LPO and PAI and increase the levels of SOD, t-PA and NO significantly. The effects of YQTLP on t-PA and SOD were better than that of nitroglycerin. CONCLUSION: The protective mechanisms of YQTLP were related to inhibit lipid peroxidation, protect endothelium-derived relaxing factor and adjust the fibrinolytic activities.