Luhong Formula Has a Cardioprotective Effect on Left Ventricular Remodeling in Pressure-Overloaded Rats

BACKGROUND: Luhong formula (LHF)—a traditional Chinese medicine containing Cervus nippon Temminck, Carthamus tinctorius L., Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. var. mongholicus (Bge.) Hsiao, Codonopsis pilosula (Franch.) Nannf., Cinnamomum cassia Presl, and Lepidium apetalum Willd—is used in the treatment of heart failure, but little is known about its mechanism of action. We have investigated the effects of LHF on antifibrosis. METHODS: Forty-eight SD male rats were randomly assigned into six groups (n = 8), model group, sham-operation group, perindopril group (0.036 mg/ml), LHF high doses (LHF-H, 1.44 g/mL), LHF middle doses (LHF-M, 0.72 g/mL), and LHF low doses (LHF-L, 0.36 g/mL). Except the sham-operation group, the other groups were received an abdominal aorta constriction to establish a model of myocardial hypertrophy. The HW and LVW were measured to calculate the LVW/BW and HW/BW. ELISA was used to detect the serum concentration of BNP. The expressions of eNOS, TGF-β1, caspase-3, VEGF, and VEGFR2 in heart tissues were assessed by western blot analysis. mRNA expressions of eNOS, Col1a1, Col3a1, TGF-β1, VEGF, and VEGFR2 in heart tissues were measured by RT-PCR. The specimens were stained with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and picrosirius red staining for observing the morphological characteristics and collagen fibers I and III of the myocardium under a light microscope. RESULTS: LHF significantly lowered the rat's HW/BW and LVM/BW, and the level of BNP in the LHF-treated group compared with the model group. Histopathological and pathomorphological changes of collagen fibers I and III showed that LHF inhibited myocardial fibrosis in heart failure rats. Treatment with LHF upregulated eNOS expression in heart tissue and downregulated Col1a1, Col3a1, TGF-β1, caspase-3, VEGF, and VEGFR2 expression. CONCLUSION: LHF can improve left ventricular remodeling in a pressure-overloaded heart failure rat model; this cardiac protective ability may be due to cardiac fibrosis and attenuated apoptosis. Upregulated eNOS expression and downregulated Col1a1, Col3a1, TGF-β1, caspase-3, VEGF, and VEGFR2 expression may play a role in the observed LHF cardioprotective effect.