Antihypertensive and anti-arrhythmic effects of an extract of Radix Stephaniae Tetrandrae in the rat.

In this study, we determined the effects of an extract of Radix Stephaniae Tetrandrae (RST) on arterial blood pressure and heart weight in deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt (DOCA-salt) hypertensive rats. We also determined the effects of the extract on arrhythmia and infarct induced by myocardial ischaemia and reperfusion in anaesthetized rats. We further compared the effects of the extract with those of tetrandrine, which makes up 7% of the extract and is known to act as a calcium-channel antagonist, and verapamil, a prototype calcium-channel antagonist. Treatment with RST extract returned the arterial blood pressure, cardiac compliance and coronary flow towards normal, and reduced right ventricular hypertrophy in the DOCA-salt hypertensive rat. In the anaesthetized rat, the RST extract reduced arrhythmia and infarct size induced by myocardial ischaemia and reperfusion; the effects were similar to those of tetrandrine and verapamil. The findings indicate that the RST extract acts like a calcium-channel antagonist. It may be used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, as are the calcium-channel antagonist and tetrandrine. More interestingly, the effects of the RST extract were of the same potency as tetrandrine. Since only 7% of the extract was tetrandrine, the observation indicates that tetrandrine was not the only component that was responsible for the actions of the extract.

Cardiac effects of the extract and active components of Radix stephaniae tetrandrae. I. Electrically-induced intracellular calcium transient and protein release during the calcium paradox.

The present study was designed to compare the cardiac actions of the extract and individual components, tetrandrine (Tet) and fangchinoline (Fan), of Radix stephaniae tetrandrae (RST). We measured the electrically induced [Ca2+]i transient in single rat ventricular myocytes and protein release following perfusion with a Ca2+ free solution (the Ca2+ paradox) from the isolated perfused rat heart, both of which are known to relate to Ca2+ influx. We found that Tet inhibited both electrically induced [Ca2+]i transient and protein release during the Ca2+ paradox, while Fan had no significant effects. The RST extract containing 9% Tet and 6% Fan by weight also affected the [Ca2+]i transient, and was only slightly, though significantly, less effective/potent than Tet alone. On the other hand, RST extract had a significantly greater inhibitory effect on protein release during the Ca2+ paradox than Tet alone. The observations suggest that the RST extract, which contains a mixture of components, may have more potent effects in the heart than its main active component.

Cardiac effects of the extract and active components of radix stephaniae tetrandrae. II. Myocardial infarct, arrhythmias, coronary arterial flow and heart rate in the isolated perfused rat heart.

The primary purpose of the present study was to compare the cardioprotective effects of the extract from radix stephaniae tetrandrae (RST) and its individual compounds, tetrandrine (Tet) and fanchinoline (Fan). Secondly, we also compared the cardiac effects of the individual compounds and the RST extract with those of verapamil, a classical Ca2+ channel blocker. The Langendorff isolated perfused rat heart preparation was used. Regional ischaemia and reperfusion was employed to induce myocardial infarct and arrhythmia. Infarct, arrhythmia, heart rate and coronary artery flow were determined in hearts treated with vehicle, RST extract, Tet, Fan, or verapamil. It was found that RST extract, of which only 9% was Tet, and Tet alone produced equally potent ameliorating effects on arrhythmia and infarct induced by ischaemia and reperfusion without further inhibiting ischaemia-reduced heart rate and coronary artery flow. Fan had no effects on arrhythmia and infarct induced by ischaemia and reperfusion; but it induced S-T segment elevation and further reduced heart rate and coronary artery flow during ischaemia. Verapamil also ameliorated the effects of ischaemia and reperfusion on arrhythmia and infarct. It should be noted that 1 microM verapamil, that produced comparable effects on infarct and arrhythmia to the RST extract and Tet, further inhibited heart rate during ischaemia. The results indicate that the RST extract produces equally potent cardioprotective and anti-arrhythmic effects as Tet alone. Both RST extract and Tet may be better choices for the treatment of arrhythmia and infarct induced by myocardial ischaemia and reperfusion than the classical Ca2+ channel blocker, verapamil as they do not further reduce heart rate during ischaemia.

Cardiovascular actions of Radix Stephaniae Tetrandrae: a comparison with its main component, tetrandrine.

A comparison of the cardiovascular actions of the extract of Radix Stephaniae Tetrandrae (RST), the root of a Chinese hero Stephania tetrandra S Moore, in rats with those of tetrandrine (Tet), the best known active component of RST was reviewed. The RST extract inhibits Ca2+ influx into the myocyte and reduces protein release during reperfusion with a Ca2+ containing solution following perfusion with a Ca2+ free solution (Ca2+ paradox), and arrhythmia during reperfusion in the isolated perfused heart. It also reduces the infarct size induced by ischemia/reperfusion in vitro and in vivo. In addition, the RST extract suppresses elevation of arterial blood pressure in DOCA-salt hypertensive rats. It does not further reduce the heart rate and coronary flow significantly during myocardial ischemia. The effects are similar to those of Tet. When compared with the same doses of Tet alone, the RST extract, of which 9% is Tet, produces equally potent effects on infarction, arrhythmias, coronary flow and heart rate, and has a greater inhibitory effect on protein release during Ca2+ paradox. The combination at 1:1 ratio of Tet and fangchinoline (Fan), another main component, which constitutes 6% of the RST extract and has no significant effects on the heart, produces comparable effects on protein release during Ca2+ paradox as Tet alone. The observations suggest that the efficacy of the RST extract cannot be accounted for by Tet alone. Some of the effects may be due to an interaction between the components of the extract. The RST extract also produces similar effects as verapamil, a prototype Ca2+ channel antagonist widely used in the treatment of ischemic heart diseases and hypertension, except that verapamil, at 1 mumol/L, a concentration that produces similar cardiac effects as the RST extract, further reduces heart rate significantly during ischemia. So the RST extract may be a therapeutically better agent in the treatment of ischemic heart diseases and hypertension than Ca2+ channel antagonists because of the absence of the inhibitory effect on heart rate during myocardial ischemia.

[Preliminary observation on effect of electroacupuncture on myocardial metabolism in fasting dogs].

It was observed in the study that effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on energy and oxygen metabolism of myocardium in fasting dogs. 28 healthy mongrel dogs were divided into control and electroacupuncture (EA) group randomly. All the dogs were used in the experiment after fast of 7 days, and during the fasting the dogs were fed with water. The result shows that before EA, the quantity of myocardial uptake of free fatty acid (FFA) and glucose and myocardial consumption of oxygen in control group have not marked difference from that in EA group respectively (P greater than 0.05). Myocardia uptake of FFA in EA group was obviously decreased than that in control group after EA on Pishu and Zhongwan points (P less than 0.05) and myocardial uptake of glucose in EA group was enhanced in comparison with that in control group (P less than 0.05). After removing needles, myocardial uptake of FFA was reduced in contrast to that before EA in EA group with statistical significance (P less than 0.05). Myocardial consumption of oxygen showed a depressing tendency after EA in EA group. but after removing needles, the data of myocardial consumption of oxygen had no difference from that before EA in EA group (P greater than 0.05) and there was not different too in comparison of all the corresponding data between the EA and control group separately. The results shows that the state of myocardial metabolism in fasting dogs could be improved by EA such as myocardial uptake of glucose was enhanced and myocardial uptake of FFA was reduced.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)