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The roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen) and Pueraria lobata (Gegen) inhibit atherogenic events: A study of the combination effects of the 2-herb formula

Authors Cheung, David Wing-Shing; Koon, Chi-Man; Ng, Chun-Fai; Leung, Ping-Chung; Fung, Kwok-Pui; Poon, Simon Kar-Sing; Lau, Clara Bik-San

Journal JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY , OCT 11 2012,3:143

DOI 10.1016/j.jep.2012.08.011 PubMed 22922086

Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance: The roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen) and Pueraria lobata (Gegen) are principle herbs of Chinese herbal formulae which have long been used to treat cardiovascular diseases.Aim of study: The present study validated the anti-atherogenic effects of three extracts, Danshen alone (DE), Gegen alone (GE) as well as DGE and interpreted their combination effects statistically.Materials and methods: The anti-atherogenic effects of the three extracts were studied in three assays with regards to inflammation, foam cell formation and vascular smooth muscle cell (vSMC) proliferation using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide production model, macrophage foam cell formation model and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-induced vSMC proliferation model, respectively. The combination effects of DGE were statistically analyzed using combination index (Cl) and fixed-ratio experimental design.Results: The anti-atherogenic effects of the three extracts including anti-inflammation, anti-foam cell formation and anti-vSMC proliferation were demonstrated in this study. Their combination effects in anti-inflammation, anti-foam cell formation and anti-vSMC proliferation were found to be synergistic, additive and antagonistic, respectively.Conclusions: This study provided scientific support for the combination use of DGE on atherosclerosis and presented one of the first applications of statistical interpretations of the combination effects of the 2-herb formula. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Species covered 丹参 Salvia miltiorrhiza 葛 Pueraria lobata