The Effect of Buyang Huanwu Decoction on Endothelial Cell Injury and Vascular Density in Rats with Atherosclerosis
ZHANG Yuman
SONG Jia
BAI Delong
HAN Rongkun
Abstract：Objective:To observe the effects of Buyang Huanwu decoction on endothelial cell injury and vascular density in rats with atherosclerosis(AS)based on AMP-activated protein kinase α1(AMPKα1)/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ co-activator 1α(PGC-1α)/glucose transporter 4(GLUT4)signaling pathway.Methods:According to random number method,60 rats were divided into Sham group,AS group,Buyang Huanwu decoction low-dose group,Buyang Huanwu decoction medium-dose group,Buyang Huanwu decoction high-dose group,and atorvastatin group,with 10 rats in each group.In Sham group,the artery ligated only,and the other rats were damaged by balloon injury after ligation to establish AS animal model.After modeling,the rats in the Buyang Huowu decoction low-dose group,Buyang Huowu decoction medium-dose group,and Buyang Huowu decoction high-dose group were gavaged with 7.4,14.8,and 29.6 g/kg Buyang Huowu decoction,respectively.The rats in atorvastatin group were gavaged with 5 mg/kg atorvastatin solution,and the rats in the other two groups were gavaged with equal volume of normal saline.Blood lipid index,total cholesterol(TC),triglycerides(TG),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),and atherosclerosis index(AIP)were measured by automatic biochemical analyzer.Hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining was used to observe the pathological morphology of thoracic aorta.The number of endothelial cells(CECs)was detected by immunofluorescence.CD31 integral optical density(MOD)angiogenesis was detected by immunohistochemistry.The expression levels of AMPKα1,PGC-1 α and GLUT4 were detected by Western blot.Results:Compared with Sham group,TG,TC,LDL-C and AIP in AS group were increased,while HDL-C was decreased(P＜0.05).Compared with AS group,TG,TC,LDL-C and AIP in Buyang Huanwu decoction dose groups and atorvastatin group were decreased,while HDL-C was increased(P＜0.05).Compared with Sham group,the number of CECs and CD31 MOD in AS group were increased(P＜0.05).Compared with AS group,while the number of CECs and CD31 MOD in Buyang Huanwu Tang dose groups and atorvastatin group were decreased.Buyang Huanwu decoction low-dose group,Buyang Huanwu decoction medium-dose group and Buyang Huanwu decoction high-dose group gradually decreased(P＜0.05).Compared with Sham group,the expressions of AMPKα1,PGC-1α and GLUT4 protein in AS group were decreased(P＜0.05).Compared with AS group,the expression of PGC-1 α and GLUT4 protein in Buyang Huanwu decoction dose groups and atorvastatin group were increased,and AMPKα1 protein expression was increased in Buyang Huanwu decoction medium-dose group,Buyang Huanwu decoction high-dose group and atorvastatin group.The comparison was made between Buyang Huanwu decoction low-dose group,Buyang Huanwu decoction medium-dose group,Buyang Huanwu decoction high-dose group.There were statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).Conclusion:Buyang Huanwu decoction could improve blood lipid and endothelial cell damage in AS rats,reduce angiogenesis,and play an anti-AS role in a dose-dependent manner.The mechanism was related to the activation of AMPKα1/PGC-1 α/GLUT4 signaling pathway.
Keywords：atherosclerosisBuyang Huanwu decoctionendothelial cellsvascular densityperoxisome proliferator activating receptor-γco-activator 1αglucose transporter 4AMP-activated protein kinase α1ratsexperimental study
Publication Date：2025-05-25
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：7( 1475-1481 )