活血中药对ApoE基因缺陷小鼠血脂及动脉粥样硬化斑块炎症反应的影响

目的 观察6种常用活血中药(赤芍、丹参、川芎、三七、桃仁和酒大黄)，对ApoE基因缺陷小鼠动脉粥样硬化斑块炎症反应和血脂的影响。方法 90只6～8周龄小鼠随机分成8组：赤芍组、丹参组、川芎组、三七组、桃仁组、酒大黄组、模型组和对照组(辛伐他汀)。予西方类型膳食喂养13周，待其形成成熟的动脉粥样硬化斑块后，给予药物治疗13周。检测小鼠血脂，处死动物并取出心脏及主动脉，免疫组织化学染色法观察小鼠主动脉根部CD68、单核细胞趋化蛋白-1(MCP-1)及肿瘤坏死因子α(TNF-α)的表达。结果 中药各组均有一定的调脂作用；模型组CD68表达最为活跃，而丹参组、川芎组、三七组和对照组的CD68阳性表达细胞较少(P<0．05)；酒大黄组和对照组AS斑块内炎症因子MCP-1、TNF-α表达较模型组明显减少(P<0．05)。结论 上述活血中药能够干预ApoE基因缺陷小鼠成熟斑块的进展，有一定稳定斑块的作用，其机制可能与调节脂质代谢和抑制炎症反应有关，不同活血药在常规剂量下其作用环节和强度上可能存在差异。

Effect of Drugs for Promoting Blood Circulation on Blood Lipids and Inflammatory Reaction of Atherosclero-tic Plaques in ApoE Gene Deficiency Mice

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of six common Chinese medicinal herbs for promoting blood circulation, including Radix Paeoniae rubra (I), Radix Salviae miltiorrhizae (II), Rhizoma Chuanxiong (III), Radix Notoginseng (IV), Semen Persicae (V) and wine steamed Radix et Rhizoma Rhei (VI), on blood lipids and inflammatory reaction of atherosclerotic plaques in ApoE gene deficiency mice. METHODS: Ninety mice, 6 - 8 weeks old, were divided into 8 groups, the model group, the control group (treated with simvastatin) and the six treated groups treated with the above-mentioned 6 Chinese medicinal herbs respectively. All the mice were fed with the diet of western kind for 13 weeks until the mature atherosclerotic plaques formed in them. Then they were treated with respective drugs for another 13 weeks except those in the model group. All the mice were sacrificed at the end of experiment, their blood was collected for lipids determination, heart and aorta were taken out for determining the level of CD68 in root of aorta, as well as the expressions of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) and tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) by immunohistochemistry staining. RESULTS: All the 6 Chinese herbs showed regulatory action on blood lipids. The positive expression of CD68 in the model group displayed the highest activity. As compared with the model group, the CD68 positive expressed cells in the control group and the groups treated with Chinese herbs II, III, and IV were lesser (P < 0.05), and the expression of inflammatory factors (MCP-1 and TNF-alpha) in atherosclerotic plaques was significantly lower in the control group and the group treated with Chinese herb VI (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Chinese medicinal herbs tested in this study can interfere the maturing progress of atherosclerotic plaques and stabilize the plaques in ApoE deficiency mice, the mechanisms may relate to its actions in regulating lipids metabolism and inhibiting inflammatory reaction. Different Chinese medicinal herbs for activating blood circulation of conventional dosage might show difference in potency and acting links.