praeruptorin-c and Hypertension

The traditional Chinese medicine Praeruptorin c (Pra-c) has many physiological and pharmacological effects, including antagonistic effects on blood pressure and calcium levels, maintenance of cellular calcium homeostasis, and improved cardiac systolic and diastolic function. It is potentially a novel and versatile drug for the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular diseases.. To explore the possible impact of Pra-c on blood pressure in SHR and its mechanism of action.. Twenty SHR were randomly divided into a Pra-c group [Pra-c was administered intragastrically, 20 mg kg(-1) d(-1), n=10] or an untreated control group (n=10), containing 10 age-matched SD rats. Each group of rats was followed for 8 weeks. Before and during the treatment, tail artery systolic blood pressure was measured using a tail-cuff every 2 weeks. After 8 weeks, the rats were sacrificed and RNA was extracted from homogenates of cardiac tissue. Tissue from the left ventricle was fixed, sectioned and H&E stained to assess possible changes in myocardial cell structure and morphology. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR was used to assess changes in phospholamban gene expression in treated and untreated rats.. SHR treated with Pra-c for 8 weeks had a lower systolic pressure than untreated SHR (p<0.05), two measures of cardiac damage, the heart mass index and left ventricle mass index (HMI and LVMI, respectively) were improved, and the level of PLB mRNA expression was lower in the untreated SHR group (p<0.05).. With continuous hypertension, SHR gradually formed or developed cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis. Pra-c had a clear effect on blood pressure in SHR, and reversed SHR ventricular remodeling by upregulating the gene expression of sarcoplasmic reticulum PLB.

Topics: Animals; Apiaceae; Blood Pressure; Calcium-Binding Proteins; Cardiomegaly; Coumarins; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Hypertension; Male; Myocardium; Phytotherapy; Rats; Rats, Inbred SHR; Ventricular Remodeling

To study the effects of praeruptorin C (pra-C), a pure constituent isolated from "Qian-Hu", the roots of Peucedanum praeruptorum Dunn. (Umbelliferae), on vascular hypertrophy, collagen content, transient [Ca2+]i, NO and vascular response of the thoracic aorta of renovascular and spontaneously hypertensive rats (RHR, SHR).. RHR and SHR were given pra-C 20 mg.kg-1.d-1 for 9 weeks, ig. Blood pressure of both rats were measured using tail cuff manometry. Under inverted microscopy the length and width of the smooth muscle cells were measured by using computer software MICC (Dongnan University). [Ca2+]i of smooth muscle cell (SMCs) was measured with Fura-2/AM. By measuring the specific aminoacid hydroxyproline content, the collagen content was obtained. By using Griess reagent, the NO in the smooth muscle cells (SMCs) was measured.. The intermedia of the thoracic aorta in RHR was enlarged than that of the normal and pra-C groups. The size (length x width) of the SMCs of thoracic aorta from RHR increased 73.4 microns vs nomal 34.5 microns and pra-C 34 microns. The collagen content of thoracic aorta was 39% +/- 6.8% dry weight in RHR, they were 26.5% +/- 3% dry weight in normal and 25.6% +/- 1.1% dry weight in pra-C, RHR vs pra-C. The resting [Ca2+]i of single cell of SMCs was (62 +/- 6) nmol.L-1. In Hanks solution containing CaCl2 1 mmol.L-1, the resting [Ca2+]i of SMCs was (150 +/- 8) nmol.L-1 in normal. (226 +/- 11) nmol.L-1 in RHR. In presence of KCl 60 mmol.L-1, NE 10 mumol.L-1, ANG II 100 nmol.L-1 and ATP 30 mumol.L-1 the [Ca2+]i of SMCs were increased by 128%; 132%; 233% and 152% in RHR, respectively. The pra-C group was similar to the normal group. The resting [Ca2+]i of SMCs was (71 +/- 6) nmol.L-1 in control of SHR, in Hanks solution containing CaCl2 1 mmol.L-1. The resting [Ca2+]i of SMCs was (160 +/- 8) nmol.L-1 in normal, and (362 +/- 18) nmol.L-1 in SHR. In presence KCl 60 mmol.L-1 and NE 10 mumol.L-1 the [Ca2+]i of SMCs were increased by 235% and 200% in SHR, respectively. Pra-C group was similar to normal group. NO of SMCs was decreased 76% in SHR, pra-C group was nearly normal. The pra-C improved vascular responses of the thoracic aorta of RHR.. These results indicate that pra-C improved the vascular hypertrophy by decreasing the size of SMCs cells, collagen content. SMCs [Ca2+]i and increasing NO production.

Topics: Animals; Antihypertensive Agents; Aorta, Thoracic; Calcium; Calcium Channel Blockers; Cells, Cultured; Collagen; Coumarins; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Hypertension; Hypertension, Renovascular; Hypertrophy; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular; Nitric Oxide; Random Allocation; Rats; Rats, Inbred SHR; Rats, Sprague-Dawley