Key result
Erxian decoction reduces myocardial injury, apoptosis, and inflammation in ovariectomized rats via PI3K/AKT activation.
Why the study?
Erxian decoction improves cardiovascular structure and function in ovariectomized rats, but its pharmacological mechanism remains unclear.
Does Erxian decoction improve myocardial tissue damage and inflammation in an ovariectomized rat model?
Does Erxian decoction improve myocardial tissue damage and inflammation in an ovariectomized rat model?
Erxian decoction ameliorates myocardial tissue injury, apoptosis, and inflammation in an ovariectomized rat model, likely through activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.
Supports hypothesis that Erxian decoction protects against postmenopausal myocardial injury; leaves open clinical translation in humans.
Background Erxian decoction (EXD) is an empirical formula for treating cardiovascular disease, our previous work has shown that EXD could improve the cardiovascular structure and function in ovariectomized (OVX) rats, but its pharmacological mechanism is still unclear. Materials and Methods Network pharmacology was utilized to assess the key active components and central targets of EXD in treating postmenopausal cardiovascular disease. Then, an OVX rat model was established, HE staining and transmission electron microscope were utilized to observe myocardial tissue morphology, TUNEL staining was utilized to detect cardiomyocyte apoptosis, western blot, and ELISA were used to confirm efficacy and pathway of EXD. Results The network pharmacology prediction results showed that 129 common targets were identified by intersecting EXD targets and postmenopausal cardiovascular disease targets, including AKT1, TNF, IL-6, IL-1β, PTGS2 and other core targets, apoptosis, PI3K/AKT, and other signaling pathways may be closely related to postmenopausal cardiovascular disease. After ovariectomy, the myocardial tissue of rats was damaged, the expression level of PI3K/AKT pathway-related molecules in the myocardial tissue were decreased, the apoptosis index of cardiomyocytes was increased, and the levels of inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β) were enhanced. EXD intervention could improve myocardial tissue injury, EXD could up-regulate the protein expression of PI3K and p-AKT in myocardial tissue, and thereby prevent myocardial cell apoptosis. At the same time, EXD downregulated the levels of inflammatory factors in serum of ovariectomized rats. Conclusion EXD may prevent myocardial tissue damage through induction of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, thereby reducing cardiomyocyte apoptosis and inflammation. EXD may be a potential drug for the treatment of postmenopausal cardiovascular disease.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Yang et al. (2024) studied Postmenopausal cardiovascular disease. Erxian decoction (EXD) vs. Untreated ovariectomized rats was evaluated on Myocardial tissue damage, cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and inflammatory factor levels. Erxian decoction improved myocardial tissue injury and reduced cardiomyocyte apoptosis and inflammation in ovariectomized rats by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway (129 common targets identified).
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: