RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of compound Danshen dripping pills and atorvastatin on restenosis after abdominal aorta angioplasty in rabbits. METHODS: Rabbit models of abdominal aorta restenosis after angioplasty were established and treated with saline (group A), compound Danshen dripping pills (group B), atorvastatin (group C), or compound Danshen dripping pills plus atorvastatin (group D). HE staining was used to determine the thickness of arterial intimal hyperplasia and assess the morphological changes of the narrowed artery. Immunohistochemistry was employed to detect the expression of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). RESULTS: Compared with group A, the 3 treatment groups showed significant increased vascular cavity area and reduced intimal area and percentage of intimal hyperplasia (P<0.05). The vascular cavity area, intimal area and percentage of intimal hyperplasia levels differed significantly between group D and groups B and C (P<0.05). Immunohistochemistry showed a significant reduction of the expression rate of NF-κB and MCP-1 in the 3 treatment groups compared with group A (P<0.05), and the reduction was especially obvious in group D (P<0.05). CONCLUTIONS: Compound danshen dripping pills combined with atorvastatin produces better effects than the drugs used alone in inhibiting vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation in rabbits after abdominal aorta angioplasty possibly due to a decreased expression of MCP-1 as a result of NF-κB inhibition.