1.Mechanism of Prevention and Treatment of Myocardial Ischemia-reperfusion Injury by Qi-replenishing and Blood-activating Chinese Medicines Based on Theory of Qi and Blood Interacting in Vessels
Han PENG ; Gaojie XIN ; Ce CAO ; Fan GUO ; Lingmei LI ; Jianhua FU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(23):27-34
Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) is a common injury in the treatment of ischemic heart diseases. MIRI can be categorized as chest impediment and palpitation in traditional Chinese medicine, with the pathogenesis related to Qi and blood disharmony. The simultaneous disorders of Qi and blood are the key mechanism of MIRI, and thus the differentiation of Qi and blood syndromes is the prerequisite for the treatment. The theory of Qi and blood interacting in vessels is proposed by our team based on Qi being the commander of blood and blood being the mother of Qi as well as previous pharmacological studies. Specifically, Qi marshals blood by vessels, and the blood carries Qi by vessels. Accordingly, Qi and blood interact in the vessels. MIRI is accompanied by mitochondrial dysfunction, platelet function abnormality, and vascular endothelial damage, which are correlated with Qi deficiency, blood stasis, and vessel damage, respectively. Mitochondrial, platelet, and vascular endothelial structural and functional changes triggered by their interactions are one of the mechanisms by which Qi deficiency, blood stasis, and vessel damage lead to the occurrence and development of MIRI. By exploring the correlations between Qi and mitochondria, between blood and platelets, and between vessels and blood vessels, we can explain the modern scientific content of the theory of Qi and blood interacting in vessels in traditional Chinese medicine. According to the pathogenesis of Qi and blood disharmony in vessels, we discussed the pharmacological mechanisms of Qi-replenishing medicines, blood-activating medicines, and their combinations in the prevention and treatment of MIRI. On the basis of the research achievements in the prevention and treatment of MIRI by Qi-replenishing and blood-activating Chinese medicines based on the theory of Qi and blood interacting in vessels, we analyzed the effects of these medicines on Qi, blood, and vessels. According to the theory of Qi and blood, this article reveals the theoretical basis and scientific connotations of the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, with the aim of providing new ideas and references for the clinical application of traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
2.Establishment and Evaluation of Rat Model of Acute Coronary Syndrome with Combined Blood Stasis and Poison
Yue YOU ; Gaojie XIN ; Zixin LIU ; Lingmei LI ; Hongxu MENG ; Yue SHI ; Yanlei MA ; Ziyan WANG ; Jianxun LIU ; Lei LI ; Jianhua FU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2022;28(19):49-60
ObjectiveTo compare the feasibility of establishing the rat model of acute coronary syndrome with combined blood stasis and poison by lipopolysacharide (LPS) injection, ligation of coronary artery and different combinations of the two methods. MethodA total of 225 male SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group, simple coronary artery ligation group, first injected LPS group [LPS(5 mg·kg)injection 24 h before coronary artery ligation] and follow injected LPS group [LPS(5 mg·kg)injection 10 min after coronary artery ligation]. The indexes of each group were detected at 3, 24, 72 h after modeling, and the model was comprehensively evaluated. The general state and macroscopic evaluation indexes of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome (tongue and pulse) of rats in each group were observed. ECG and echocardiography were used to evaluate cardiac function, and the myocardial ischemia and infarction areas were measured by Evans blue/2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. The content of creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), and troponin T (cTnT) in serum as well as interleukin-1 β (IL-1β) and IL-6 changes were determined by biochemical method or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Hematology analyzer was adopted to determine the white blood cell (WBC) count, and the four coagulation indexes, platelet aggregation rate, hemorheology and other coagulation evaluation indexes were also detected. The myocardial tissue was observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining. ResultAfter 3 h of modeling, compared with the conditions in sham operation group, the R, G and B values of tongue of rats (P<0.01), pulse amplitude (P<0.01), and cardiac function in simple coronary artery ligation group were decreased, and the color of hypoglossal veins became purple(P<0.01). The content of CK, LDH, cTnT, IL-1β and IL-6 in serum(P<0.05), myocardial infarction area(P<0.01), and total number of WBCs (P<0.05)were increased. Compared with simple coronary artery ligation group, first injected LPS group and follow injected LPS group had increased hypoglossal veins, decreased R value of tongue and elevated cTnT content (P<0.01), while follow injected LPS group had reduced B value of tongue, decreased cardiac output (CO)(P<0.05), increased IL-1β content, and thinned left ventricular anterior walls at end-systole (LVAWs)(P<0.01). After 24 h of modeling, compared with sham operation group, simple coronary artery ligation group presented significantly decreased R, G and B values of tongue, lengthened purplish dark hypoglossal veins (P<0.01), reduced pulse amplitude(P<0.01) and cardiac function, enlarged myocardial infarction area(P<0.01), increased whole blood viscosity, platelet aggregation rate, fibrinogen (FIB), shortened prothrombin time (PT) and thrombin time (TT)(P<0.01), and elevated total number of WBCs (P<0.01)and content of CK, LDH, cTnT and IL-6 in serum(P<0.05). Compared with the conditions in simple coronary artery ligation group, the pulse amplitude, R, G and B values of tongue (P<0.01), and ejection fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS) scores (P<0.05)dropped, and hypoglossal veins were deepened and lengthened(P<0.05), and cTnT content was increased(P<0.01)in first injected LPS group and follow injected LPS group. However, follow injected LPS group had thinned LVPWs, increased LDH content, platelet aggregation rate(P<0.05), myocardial infarction area, and total number of WBC, level of IL-1β(P<0.05), and shortened TT(P<0.01). Additionally, 72 h after modeling, compared with sham operation group, simple coronary artery ligation group showed significantly reduced pulse amplitude, lowered R, G and B values of tongue, thickened and lengthened hypoglossal veins(P<0.01), decreased cardiac function, and increased content of cTnT, FIB, whole blood viscosity(P<0.01),platelet aggregation rate, level of IL-6 and IL-1β(P<0.05). Compared with the conditions in simple coronary artery ligation group, the hypoglossal veins of the first injected LPS group and the follow injected LPS group were more purple, and the content of cTnT was boosted(P<0.01), whereas follow injected LPS group had decreased pulse amplitude, R, G and B values of tongue, EF and FS scores (P<0.05), and enlarged myocardial infarction area(P<0.01). ConclusionCompared with the other modeling methods and models at different modeling time, the established model by LPS injection 10 min after coronary artery ligation for 24 h was more consistent with the clinical characteristics of acute coronary syndrome with combined blood stasis and poison.
3.Shuangshen Ningxin Capsules Regulates Mitochondrial Fission and Fusion to Alleviate Myocardial Ischemia-reperfusion Injury in Rats
Gaojie XIN ; Yuanyuan CHEN ; Zixin LIU ; Yue YOU ; Ce CAO ; Aoao WANG ; Hongxu MENG ; Xiao HAN ; Jianxun LIU ; Lei LI ; Jianhua FU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(7):87-94
ObjectiveTo explore whether the mechanism of Shuangshen Ningxin capsules (SSNX) in alleviating myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) in rats is related to the regulation of mitochondrial fission and fusion. MethodThis study focused on Sprague Dawley (SD) rats and ligated the left anterior descending branch of the coronary artery to construct a rat model of MIRI. The rats were divided into the sham operation group, model group, SSNX group (90 mg·kg-1) and trimetazidine group (5.4 mg·kg-1). The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) were detected by micro method. Changes in mitochondrial membrane potential (△Ψm) and the degree of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening were detected by the chemical fluorescence method. The intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) level was detected by the luciferase assay. The messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and protein expression levels of mitochondrial fission and fusion related factors dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1), mitochondrial fission 1 protein (FIS1), optic atrophy protein 1 (OPA1), mitochondrial outer membrane fusion protein 1 (MFN1), and MFN2 were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR) and Western blot. ResultCompared with the sham operation group, the model group showed a decrease in serum SOD activity and an increase in MDA content. The opening level of mPTP, the level of △Ψm and ATP content decreased, the protein expressions of mitochondrial fission factors DRP1 and FIS1 increased, and the protein expressions and mRNA transcription levels of fusion related factors OPA1 and MFN1 decreased. Compared with the model group,SSNX significantly increased serum SOD activity, reduced MDA content, increased intracellular ATP level and △Ψm, reduced the opening level of mPTP, downregulated the protein expressions of mitochondrial fission factors DRP1 and FIS1, and increased the mRNA transcription levels and protein expressions of fusion related factors OPA1 and MFN1. ConclusionSSNX inhibits the expressions of mitochondrial fission factors DRP1 and FIS1, and increases the expressions of fusion related factors OPA1 and MFN1, inhibiting mitochondrial fission and increasing mitochondrial fusion, thereby alleviating MIRI.