Traditional Chinese medicine suppresses left ventricular hypertrophy by targeting extracellular signal-regulated kinases signaling pathway in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Figure 1. Effect of Bu-Shen-Jiang-Ya decoction on left ventricular mass index. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, significantly different from the C group. ▲P < 0.05, ▲▲P < 0.01, significantly different from the Ca group.

Figure 2. Microscopic observations (200×) of myocardial tissue. After 8 weeks treatment of Bu-Shen-Jiang-Ya decoction, captopril, and distilled water administration, the left ventricular myocardium from 6 groups including (a) the WKY group, (b) the C group, (c) the Ca group, (d) the Bh group, (e) the Bm group, and (f) the Bl group was examined by haematoxylin and eosin.

Figure 3. Effect of Bu-Shen-Jiang-Ya decoction on the proteins expression levels of ERK signaling in the left ventricular areas by western blotting analysis. (a) The expression levels of BDNF, Ras, ERK1/2, and c-fox in the left ventricular myocardium of the 6 groups. (b) The expression level of BDNF of the 6 groups in the left ventricular myocardium. (c) The expression level of Ras of the 6 groups in the left ventricular myocardium. (d) The expression level of ERK1/2 of the 6 groups in the left ventricular myocardium. (e) The expression level of c-fox of the 6 groups in the left ventricular myocardium. Detailed information about the protein expression of ERK signaling was shown in the Supplementary Information file. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, significantly different from the C group. ▲P < 0.05, ▲▲P < 0.01, significantly different from the Ca group.

Figure 4. Effect of Bu-Shen-Jiang-Ya decoction on the mRNA expression levels of ERK signaling in the left ventricular areas by Real-time PCR assay. (a) The expression level of BDNF mRNA of the 6 groups in the left ventricular myocardium. (b) The expression level of Ras mRNA of the 6 groups in the left ventricular myocardium. (c) The expression level of ERK1/2 mRNA of the 6 groups in the left ventricular myocardium. (d) The expression level of c-fox mRNA of the 6 groups in the left ventricular myocardium. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, significantly different from the C group. ▲P < 0.05, ▲▲P < 0.01, significantly different from the Ca group.

Figure 5. Chemical structure of the main active ingredients of Bu-Shen-Jiang-Ya decoction. (a) Stachyose of Rehmannia Glutinosa oligosaccharide. (b) 7-O-galloyl-D-sedoheptulose of Corni Fructus. (c) (+)-pinoresinol-di-β-d-glucopyranoside of Eucommia Bark. (d) Gastrodin of Gastrodia. (e) Ginsenoside R1 of Notoginseng Root. (f) Paeonol of Cortex of the Peony Tree Rote. (g) Hyperoside of Crataegus Fruit. (h) Alisol A of Alisma.