Abstract: AIM: To observe the effects of Tangshen formula (TSF) treatment on lipid efflux and uptake in sodium palmitate (PA) induced RAW264.7 macrophages.  METHODS: After 200 μmol/L PA induced RAW264.7 macrophages, TSF and PGC-1α-siRNA were given to intervene respectively. The lipid content in the cells was detected by ELISA kit; intracellular lipid droplet deposition was detected by BODIPY 493/503 and Filipin staining. Western blot and Real-time PCR were used to detect the expression of PGC-1α, LXR, ABCA1 and CD36. RESULTS:  TSF diminished the levels of TC, TG and intracellular lipid droplet deposition in PA-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. Western blot and Real-time PCR analysis showed that TSF could up-regulate the expression of PGC-1α, LXR, ABCA1 and down-regulate the expression of CD36. Furthermore, silencing PCG-1α by SiRNA significantly suppressed the effects of upregulating the expression of PGC-1α, LXR and ABCA1, and downregulating the CD36 expression with TSF treatment. CONCLUSION: TSF may extenuate intracellular lipid droplet deposition in macrophages by upregulating cholesterol efflux through activating the PGC-1α/LXR/ABCA1 pathway and inhibiting lipid uptake through down-regulateing the expression of CD36.

Key words: Tangshen formula, hyperlipidemia, PGC-1α/LXR/ABCA1 pathway, CD36