Ethanol extract of Schisandrae chinensis fructus ameliorates the extent of experimentally induced atherosclerosis in rats by increasing antioxidant capacity and improving endothelial dysfunction

• Main Authors: Xiu Chen (Author), Jiahong Cao (Author), Yong Sun (Author), Yaolan Dai (Author), Jiali Zhu (Author), Xuemei Zhang (Author), Xiaoqin Zhao (Author), Liwen Wang (Author), Tingting Zhao (Author), Yongbiao Li (Author), Youping Liu (Author), Guihua Wei (Author), Tiane Zhang (Author), Zhiyong Yan (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group, 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

Summary

Context: Schisandrae chinensis fructus, the dried ripe fruit of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. (Magnoliaceae) has been used for thousands of years as a traditional Chinese herb, which can attenuate and prevent the development of cardiovascular events. Objective: To evaluate the effects of the ethanol extracts from Schisandrae chinensis fructus fruit (EESC) on experimental atherosclerosis (AS) in rats. Materials and methods: Treatment with EESC (0.35, 0.7, 1.4 g/kg/d, i.g.) and simvastatin (4 mg/kg/d, i.g.) on AS rats for 3 weeks. Sprague-Dawley rats on normal chow and under water treatment were used as control. The content of schisandrin, schisandrin A and schisandrin B in EESC was detected by HPLC. Aortic pathology changes, serum biochemical indices and nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2) and heame oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expressions were measured. Results: Schisandrin, schisandrin A and schisandrin B contents were 291.8, 81.46 and 279.1 mg/g of dry weight, respectively. EESC significantly reduced the aortic plaque area (76.5, 90.5 and 73.9% reduction), regulated the levels of serum lipid (p < 0.05), enhanced the antioxidant enzyme activities (p < 0.01), reduced the malondialdehyde levels (72.5, 69.3, 67.3%), and up-regulated the Nrf-2 and HO-1 expression (p < 0.05). Furthermore, EESC reduced the levels of oxidized-LDL and endothelin-1 and thromboxane B2 but increased that of 6-keto prostaglandin F1α (p < 0.05). Acute toxicity was calculated on mice to be LD50 > 20 g/kg. Conclusions: EESC positively affects the treatment of AS in vivo and the findings will provide a reliable theoretical basis for developing novel therapeutics.

Item Description

1388-0209
1744-5116
10.1080/13880209.2018.1523933