Abstract:

AIM: To study the protective effect of Huanglianjiedu Decoction (HLJD) on vascular endothelial endothelium in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and the mechanism of action of the drug.  METHODS: A total of 40 SHR rats were randomly divided into model group (SHR group), positive group (Captopril group), HLJD high dose group, and HLJD low dose group with 10 rats in each group. Simultaneously, there was 10 Wistar rats in control group. All groups were treated by gavage for 6 weeks. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure of the caudal artery was measured by noninvasive tail sleeve method. The changes of nitric oxide (NO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), angiotensin (AngII) and calmodulin (CaM) in rat serum were tested by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method; the expression of RhoA, cGK, MYPT1 protein and mRNA in thoracic aorta were determined by Western blot and real-time fluorescence quantitative (PCR). RESULTS:After 6 weeks, compared with the model group, HLJD and positive group can significantly reduce the blood pressure of rats. Compare with blank group, the levels of AngII and SOD in serum of the model group were significantly increased (P<0.01), and the levels of NO and CaM were significantly lower (P<0.01). Conversely, the levels of AngII and SOD in the positive and HLJD groups were significantly decreased (P<0.01 or P<0.05), and the levels of NO and CaM were significantly increased (P<0.01 or P<0.05). HLJD could reduce the expression of RhoA and MYPT1 in the thoracic aorta of hypertension rats (P<0.05), and increase the expression of cGK in the thoracic aorta of hypertensive rats (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: HLJD can reduce the blood pressure of hypertensive rats, regulate the secretion of vascular endothelial vasopressin and affect the expression of factors such as cGK, RhoA, MYPT1. The expression of these factors is closely related to the activity of NO.

Key words: Huanglian Jiedu Decoction, young spontaneously hypertensive rats, cGK, RhoA, MYPT1