Protective effects of radix astragali on ECV304 cells exposed to high level of glucose

Objective To explore the damage effect of high level of glucose on ECV304 cells and the approaches in which high level of glucose plays its part to provide theoretical bases for the therapy of diabetes.Methods ECV304 cells were divided into four groups:normal control,high glucose group in which glucose was added to the cells with final concentration of 35 mmol·L-1,Radix Astragali(RA) group in which glucose was added to the cells with final concentration of 35 mmol·L-1,as well as RA with final concentration of 500 mg·L-1,mannitol group in which mannitol was added to the cells with final concentration of 25 mmol·L-1.The cells were cultivated for 24 h after the glucose,RA and mannitol were added to the cells and collected for the determination of intracellular Ca2+ concentration,mitochondrial membrane potential and the morphological changes of cells and mitochondria were observed under electronic microscope.Results The intracellular Ca2+ concentration in the cells of high glucose group was significantly higher than those of RA group,mannitol group and normal control group(P0.05),the intracellular Ca2+ concentrations in the cells of RA group and mannitol group were significantly higher and the mitochondrial membrane potential was significantly lower than those of normal control group(P0.05);the mitochondrial membrane potential in the cells of high glucose group was significantly lower than those of RA group,normal control group and mannitol group(P0.05).The mitochondrial membrane potential in the cells of RA group was significantly higher than that of mannitol group(P0.05).The morphology of cells in RA group was normal,the mitochondrial structure was normal,the cristae in mitochondria were clear.The morphology of cells in high glucose group was abnormal,the mitochondria were swollen and the cristae were gone.Conclusion RA has protective effects on injury of ECV304 cells,especially mitochondrial injury,induced with high level of glucose.