Study Of Extracts From Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum On Chronic/Congestive Heart Failure Rats

The Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum has been used traditionally in China for producing sperm, replenishing the essence to nourish the marrow, nourishing the kidney, supplementing Yang and strengthening the muscles and bones. The Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum has been showed the effects to improve blood supply, strengthen the stretch of heart muscle, increase the heart rate, and so on. This paper will focus on the research about cardiotonic effect and the mechanisms of extracts from Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum (ECCP) on the chronic/congestive heart failure (CHF) rats. The CHF rat model was introduced by the myocardial infarction after ligating the anterior descending branch of coronary artery. 130 SD rats were used for dividing into six groups in random: 5g,2.5g and 1.25g kg^-1 of ECCP, and Captopril group(50mg kg-1), model group and normal group(equal volume solvent were given). The changes of heart function, myocardial cell apoptosis, myocardial cell apoptosis index (AI), type I /III collagen and AQP2mRNA were examined after all rats was treated one time per day for four weeks.The level of heart function, left ventricular modality was examined by ultrasonic cardiogram. Myocardial cell apoptosis index (AI) was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase -mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL). The expression intensive of type I/III collagen was detected by in situ hybridization technique (ISH).Experimental results had showed the increase of LVIDd, LVIDs, IVSd, IVSs, LVPWd and LVPWs had been antagonisted gradually, especially in reducing LVISs in CHF rats; after ECCP was give orally for 4 weeks. It showed the strong effect at the dosage of ECCP 2.5g.kg^-1. ECCP also could improve the index of EF,FS,CO (P<0.05, compare with model group), but it is no significance when compared with Captopril group. The effects of ECCP 2.5g.kg^-1 were stronger than that of ECCP 5g.kg^-1, while that of ECCP 1.25g.kg^-1 was weaker than that of ECCP 5g.kg^-1.ECCP could devalue myocardial cell apoptosis index (AI), and had obvious statistics differences compare with model group (P<0.05); there was no statistics difference between ECCP2.5g group and Captopril group. The curative effect of ECCP 2.5g dosage group was better than that of 5g dosage group; 5g dosage group was better than 1.5g dosage group. ECCP could inhibit the expression of type I /III collagen, and had obvious statistics differences compared with model group (P<0.05); there was no statistics difference between ECCP 2.5g group and Captopril group. The curative effect of ECCP 2.5g dosage group was better than that of 5g dosage group; 5g dosage group was better than low dosage group.AQP2 in kidney medulla of the rats with CHF in the model group expresses more notable than the normal group, which tended to show declining with the heart function, the AQP2mRNA expressing the general also moves up. AQP2mRNA that in the 2.5g dosage of the ECCP group and Captopril group obviously is lower than the model group, but AQP2mRNA in the 2.5g dosage of ECCP group is higher than Captopril group. AQP2mRNA that in the 5g and 1.25g dosages group is also lower than the model group, but its tune degree is far inferior to the middle group and Captopril group compared with the model group in the same time. This clue to that the ECCP can decline the AQP2mRNA expressing of the rats with CHF.In conclusion, the results indicate that ECCP could improve heart function, left ventricular modality of CHF rats and could inhibit the expression of type I/III collagen and effectively anti-apoptosis at the same time. In addition, the formula was in a position to decline the AQP2mRNA expressing of the rats with CHF .The results also suggest that the mechanism may be related to reverse ventricular remodeling, take an active role in treatment of heart failure and lead to a good prognosis, which show extensive clinical perspective of traditional Chinese drug in treating CHF.