Objective To investigate the effect of Tianma Gouteng Decoction on myocardial fibrosis in renovascular hypertensive rat (RHR). Methods RHR models were established by occlusion of renal artery with artery forceps. The collagen concentration and the contents of collagen type I,III were measured. Meanwhile, the weight of heart and left ventricle was determined. Results (1)Both Tianma Gouteng Decoction and Captopril could reduce the left ventricle weight index (LVI) and collagen contents (P

[Objective] To observe the in-vitro inductive effect of ginsenosides (GS) on differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) into myocardial cells. [Methods] Marrow stromal cells were isolated from adult SD rats, and then were cultured and cloned by density gradient method and adhesive cultivation to prepare the primary MSC. The cell surface antigens of CD34 and CD44 were detected with flow cytometer to identify MSC. After subculture, the 8th generation of continuous MSC were induced by GS (250 mg/L) and 5-aza (5-azacytidine, 10 ?mol/L) and GS + 5-aza (250mg/L and 10 ?mol/L respectively) for 24, 48 and 72 hours to differentiate to myogenic cells. Meanwhile, a blank control group was set to compare the effect. After the induction, myocardial cell percentage was worked out after examining MSC count and positive cells count under the phase contrast microscope. The specific proteins of Desmin and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) in myocardial cells were detected by immunohistochemistry method, and the cardiac-specific gene expression of ?-MHC (myosin heavy chain) and ?-MHC in myocardiocytes was examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. [Results] The cultured marrow stromal cells grew well, spindle in shape, and their CD44 expression was positive, indicating that marrow stromal cells differentiated to MSC. After induction with GS and 5-aza, MSC differentiated to myocardial cells, and the myocardial cell percentage was 38% in GS group, 35% in 5-aza group and 39% in GS + 5-aza group, the difference being insignificant. The expression of Desmin, cTnI and MHC in MSC was positive, and MSC were spindle-shaped and looked like fibroblast, indicating that MSC differentiated to myocardial cells. [Conclusion] Ginsenosides can induce MSC to differentiate to myogenic cells in-vitro, and this will supply evidence for cell transplantation.