Objective

2

To observe the effect of Shaofu Zhuyutang on nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 （Nrf2） /antioxidant response element （ARE） signaling pathway in blood vessels by establishing the model of rats with cold coagulation and blood stasis syndrome， and to explore the protective effect and mechanism of Shaofu Zhuyutang on vascular endothelial injury.

Method

2

The 50 SPF rats were randomly divided into high dose group （4.8 g·kg

-1

）， middle dose group （2.4 g·kg

-1

）， low dose group （1.2 g·kg

-1

）， model group and normal group （ten of each group）. The rat model of cold coagulation and blood stasis syndrome was established by subcutaneous injection of epinephrine hydrochloride combined with ice bath. At the same time of modeling， the drug was administered by gavage. After 28 days of continuous administration， the hemorheology indexes were detected by automatic hemorheology instrument. Levels of nitric oxide （NO）， endothelin （ET）-1， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， glutathione （GSH-Px）， intercellular adhesion molecule-1（ICAM-1）， vascular cell adhesion molecule-1（VCAM-1）， von Willebrand factor （vWF） in serum were determined by ELISA. Hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining was used to observe the endothelial injury of vascular tissue of thoracic aorta. The protein expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 in vascular tissue of thoracic aorta was detected by Western blot. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR）was used to observe the expression of Nrf2 and heme oxygenase-1 （HO-1） mRNA in vascular tissue of thoracic aorta.

Result

2

Compared with the blank group， model group rats whole blood viscosity and plasma viscosity were significantly increased （

P<

0.05，

P<

0.01）， vWF， ICAM 1， VCAM 1 content increased significantly （

P

<

0.01）， NO， SOD， gsh-px levels decreased significantly （

P

<

0.01）， significantly increased the content of ET-1（

P

<

0.01）， thoracic aorta vascular tissue Nrf2， HO-1 mRNA expression was significantly increased （

P

<

0.01）， Nrf2 protein expression in the cell nucleus increased significantly （

P

<

0.05）， The protein expression level of Nrf2 in cytoplasm was significantly decreased （

P

<

0.05）， while the protein expression level of HO-1 was significantly increased （

P

<

0.01）. Compared with model group， the whole blood viscosity （high and middle cut）， plasma viscosity， were significantly reduced in high and meduim-dose Shaofu Zhuyutang groups（

P<

0.05，

P<

0.01）. The levels of vWF， ICAM-1， VCAM-1 and ET-1 in serum were significantly reduced （

P

<

0.05，

P

<

0.01）， NO， SOD and GSH-Px increased significantly （

P

<

0.05，

P

<

0.01）. The pathological changes such as hyperplasia， swelling and shedding of endothelial cells of thoracic aorta， rupture of internal elastic membrane and disorder of smooth muscle arrangement were improved. The expression levels of Nrf2， HO-1 protein and gene were significantly increased in vascular tissue of thoracic aorta （

P

<

0.01）.

Conclusion

2

Shaofu Zhuyutang has a protective effect on vascular endothelial injury in rats with cold coagulation and blood stasis syndrome. The mechanism of action is related to the activation of Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway， which leading to the increased expression of antioxidant enzymes and decreased the expression of adhesion factors.