活血、益气、化痰中药对ApoE基因敲除小鼠主动脉粥样硬化斑块稳定性的影响

Effect of Herbs to Activate Blood,Reinforce Qi and Dissolve Phlegm on Atherosclerotic Plaque Stability in Aorta of ApoE-gene Knockout Mice

目的以中药提取物为切入点,观察中医不同治法对ApoE基因敲除(ApoE-/-)小鼠主动脉斑块稳定性的影响。方法70只ApoE-/-小鼠高脂喂养13周,随机分为活血组(丹参酮),益气组(西洋参茎叶总皂苷)、化痰组(瓜蒌提取物)、模型组、阳性对照组(辛伐他汀)。予药物治疗13周后,采用形态学方法,利用易损指数综合评价药物对斑块稳定性的影响。结果与模型组比较,3个中药组小鼠斑块易损指数均有所降低,纤维帽长度/斑块内膜比值均有所增加,瓜蒌提取物组埋藏纤维帽数目显著减少。结论活血、益气、化痰中药有效部位均可通过改善斑块内部成分稳定斑块,化痰中药瓜蒌提取物在减少斑块破裂次数方面可能更有优势,其具体作用值得深入研究。

Objective To observe the effects of different herbal extractives on vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque stability in the aortic roots of fat-fed ApoE knockout mice. Methods Sixty ApoE knockout mice were fed a high-fat diet for 13 weeks until the mature atherosclerotic plaques formed. Thereafter, they were randomized into five groups： activating blood circulation group （treated with tanshinone）, reinforcing qi group （treated with panaxquinquefoliumsaponin） , dissolving phlegm group （treated with snakegourd fruit extract）, control group, positive control group （treated with simvastatin）. The treatment lasted for 13 weeks. The morphological method and vulnerability index were used to evaluate comprehensively the effect on the vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque stability. Results Compared with the control group, the vulnerability indexes of 3 herb groups were decreased. There was significant difference in the ratio of the length of fibrous cap to plaque intima, and the number of buried caps in plaque of dissolving phlegm group （snakegourd fruit extract） was significantly decreased. Conclusion The herbal extractives with the effect of activating blood circulation, reinforcing Qi and dissolving phlegm can stabilize vulnerable plaque by changing plaque composition. The snakegourd fruit extract is more superior on reducing the frequency of plaque rupture, its concrete mechanism is worth further investigating.