AIM: To study the protective effect of puerarin on the atherosclerosis of RAW264.7-derived foam cells.METHODS: The model of foam cells was established by incubating the RAW264.7 cells with ox-LDL.The choles-terol uptake was evaluated by a DiI-ox-LDL binding assay.The ability of cholesterol efflux of the RAW264.7-derived foam cells was detected by cholesterol efflux assay.The protein levels of LC3II, P62, CD36, ABCA1, LAL and p-AMPK were determined by Western blot.RESULTS: Puerarin treatment reduced the cholesterol uptake capacity and enhanced the cho-lesterol efflux rate.The protein levels of LC3II, ABCA1 and LAL in puerarin group were higher than that in ox-LDL group, while the protein levels of P62 and CD36 were obviously decreased, and those in rapamycin treatment group had the same change as puerarin group.The protein levels of LC3II, ABCA1 and LAL were obviously decreased and the protein level of p-AMPK was increased after co-treated with 3-MA.CONCLUSION: Puerarin promotes LAL and ABCA1-mediated cho-lesterol efflux in ox-LDL-treated RAW264.7 macrophages, which might enhance autophagy through AMPK-dependent path-way for cholesterol efflux regulation, and reduce the uptake of lipids by CD36 negative regulation.

Objective To explore the effects of Chinese herbal compound Tangbikang on the expressions of p38 MAPK of sciatic nerve and plasma TNF-α in diabetic rats. Methods Ten of the sixty male SD rats were selected randomly as normal group, and the rest were fed with high-fat diet and low-dosage STZ was used to induce type Ⅱdiabetic rat models. Model rats were randomly divided into model group, mecobalamine group and Tangbikang low-, medium-, and high-dosage groups, 10 rats in each group. Each medication group was intervened with relevant medicine. Rat unilaterals sciatic nerves were taken after 16 weeks. The content of TNF-α in plasma was determined by radioimmunoassay. Western blot method was used to detect the expressions of p38 and p-p38 MAPK protein of sciatic nerve. Results Compared with normal group, the expressions of p38 and p-p38 protein and content of TNF-αin model group significantly increase (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the expressions of p-p38 protein and the content of TNF-α significantly decreased after medicine intervention in different doses Tangbikang groups and mecobalamin group (P<0.05, P<0.01). The expression of p38 protein in Tangbikang high-dose group significantly decreased (P<0.05), with statistical significance (P<0.05). Conclusion Tangbikang can reduce the expression of p38 and p-p38 MAPK protein of the rat sciatic nerve, and reduce the content of TNF-α protein in rat plasma, which may be one of the effective targets of neuroprotection and abirritation of diabetic peripheral neuropathy.