Study of Guanxinkang granules (冠心康颗粒) on atherosclerotic lesion induced by hyperhomocysteinemia in rabbits

Objective: To explore the effects and mechanism of Guanxinkang granules(冠心康颗粒) on atherosclerotic lesion induced by hyperhomocysteinemia in rabbits.Methods: Twenty-four male rabbits were randomly divided into three groups. The control group was fed on common food;the homocysteine(Hcy) model group was fed on high-methionine food which composed of common food containing 1 % methionine;while the treatment group with high-methionine food+Guanxinkang granules 1.45 mg·kg-1·d-1 perfused into stomach.Eight rats in each group were fed with 100 g food per day.Blood samples were collected after 1,6 and 10 weeks of experimental diets for measurement of serum lipids and plasma total Hcy(tHcy).The aorta was removed at the end of the protocol for investigation of nuclear factorκB(NF-κB) expression in aorta by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry,and sections were made for light microscopy to observe the vascular pathomorphologic changes 10 weeks after experiment.Results: In comparisons with the control group,the levels of plasma tHcy and serum total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TG),low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C) in the model group were significantly higher than those of control group,and also NF-κB mRNA in aorta expressed more markedly at 6 and 10 weeks after experiment in the model group(all P0.05).Early stage of atherosclerosis in tunica intima could be easily observed in model group.Expression of NF-κB mRNA in aortic endothelial cell detected by immunohistochemistry was increased in the model group,while the levels of the serum lipids,plasma tHcy and NF-κB mRNA expression in aorta of treatment group were lower compared with model group at the same week(all P0.05).Aortic intimal changes in immunohistochemistry and pathomorphology in the treatment group were attenuated compared with the model group.Conclusion: The results suggest that Guanxinkang granules resist atherosclerosis,and the therapeutic effect being associated with a decrease in plasma tHcy,amelioration of the severity of hyperhomocysteinemia,inhibition of NF-κB mRNA expression and intimal proliferation in aorta.