OBJECTIVETo compare the chemical components in Baishao and Chishao water extracts and investigate their effects on the proliferation of rat thoracic aorta smooth muscle cells in vitro.

METHODSThe contents and chemical structures of monomers separated from the water extracts of Baishao and Chishao were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectroscopy. Rat thoracic aorta smooth muscle cell line A7r5 and its platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB)-induced proliferation model were exposed to different concentrations of Baishao and Chishao water extracts, and the cell viability was analyzed by mitochondrial-dependent reduction of MTT and real-time cell analyzer.

RESULTSThe growth of A7r5 cells was significantly stimulated by 300 µg/ml Baishao water extract (P<0.01), but Chishao water extract produced no such effect (P>0.05). In PDGF-BB-induced cell proliferation model, the cell growth was significantly suppressed by 100-500 µg/ml Chishao water extract (P<0.01), while Baishao water extract showed no obvious effect on the cell proliferation (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONBaishao and Chishao water extracts have different chemical components and produce different biological effects.

Animals ; Aorta, Thoracic ; cytology ; Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; cytology ; drug effects ; Paeonia ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis ; pharmacology ; Rats