[Effects of Shengmai Chenggu capsule on proliferation and vascular endothelial growth factor secretion of vascular endothelial cells].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of the serum of rabbits fed with Shengmai Chenggu capsule (SMCGC), a preparation of traditional Chinese medicine, on the proliferation and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion of cultured ECV304 cells. METHODS: The drug-containing serum from rabbits with intragastric administration of SMCGC at different doses was obtained for treatment of ECV304 cells cultured in vitro, with the cells treated with blank serum and ligustrazine serving as the control. The proliferation of ECV304 cells was detected by MTT assay and VEGF concentration in the culture medium of the cells measured by means of ELISA. The ultrastructure of ECV304 cells treated with the sera for 12 h was observed by transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: After treatment with SMCGC-containing rabbit serum for 12 and 36 h, respectively, the proliferation of ECV304 cells in all dosage groups showed no significant increases (P>0.05), and the sera of rabbits fed with medium and high doses of SMCGC significantly inhibited the proliferation of ECV304 cells after a 36-hour treatment (P<0.01). The high-dose rabbit serum might even cause apoptosis of ECV304 cells, and low-dose serum significantly stimulated VEGF secretion of the ECV304 cells (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: SMCGC does not promote the proliferation of ECV304 cells, and the serum of low-dose SMCGC-treated rabbits may stimulate VEGF secretion of the ECV304 cells, which might be the main mechanism of SMCGC in stimulating angiogenesis.