OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects and mechanism of the active components of Red Paeonia and Rhizoma chuanxiong (Xiongshao Capsule, XSC) on angiogenesis in atherosclerosis plaque in rabbits.

METHODSFifty New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into the normal group, the model group, and the three medicated groups treated respectively with Simvastatin (2.5 mg/kg per day), low-dose (0.24 g/kg per day) and high-dose (0.48 g/kg per day) XSC, 10 in each group. Rabbits in the normal group were fed with regular diet. To those in the other four groups, high fat diet was given, and a balloon angioplasty was performed two weeks later to establish abdominal aortic atherosclerosis model. Then, the model rabbits were fed continuously with high fat diet, and to those in the medicated groups, the testing drugs were added in the forage correspondingly for 6 successive weeks. Levels of blood lipids were measured at the end of the experiment. Meantime, serum levels of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) were detected with enzyme-linked immunoassay; the plaque area (PA), cross-sectional vascular area (CVA) and correcting plaque area (PA/CVA) were determined quantitatively using imaging software; and the protein expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and factor VIII related antigen (FVIIIRAg) in plaque was detected using immunohistochemical method.

RESULTSAs compared with the model group, the content of total cholesterol (TC) in the three medicated groups, and contents of triglyceride (TG) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in the Simvastatin group were lower to various extents (P<0.05, P<0.01). The serum level of hsCRP in all modeled rabbits was higher than that in the normal group, but in the three treated groups it was significantly lower than that in the model group (P<0.05, P<0.01). Expressions of VEGF and FVIIIRAg, as well as PA/CVA in the three medicated groups were significantly lower than those in the model control group (P<0.05, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe active components of Red Paeonia and Rhizoma chuanxiong have definite effects in delaying the genesis and development of atherosclerosis, its mechanism might be related with the inhibition on angiogenesis in plaque, and also with its actions of lipo-metabolism regulation and anti-inflammation.