Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine Poge Heart-Saving Decoction on Cardiac Function in Heart Failure Rat Model

BACKGROUND: Poge heart-saving decoction (PHSD) has been used as a medicine treating heart failure in China for many years. The study aimed to explore the effect of PHSD on cardiac function in heart failure conditions and its underlying mechanism. METHODS: Adriamycin was used to induce the model of heart failure (HF) in rats. Sixty rats were randomly divided into six groups: blank control group, sham group, 9.33 g/kg group (low-PHSD, test group), 13.995 g/kg group (moderate-PHSD, test group), 18.66 g/kg group (high-PHSD, test group), and fosinopril group (4.67 mg/kg, comparison test group). Cardiac ultrasound was used to evaluate the cardiac function of the rats, and radioimmunoassay was used to measure aldosterone (ALD) and angiotensin II (AngII) levels in the serum. RESULTS: Compared with the blank control group, the left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDd) and left ventricular end-systolic dimension (LVEDs) in the sham group were increased (1.04 ± 0.12 vs. 0.67 ± 0.13 cm; 0.75 ± 0.13 vs. 0.28 ± 0.10 cm; P < 0.05), and the left ventricular ejection fraction was decreased (36.65 ± 5.74 vs. 76.09 ± 4.23%; P < 0.05). The ejection fraction of HF rats was increased in 9.33 g/kg group, 13.995 g/kg group, and 18.66 g/kg group compared with those of the sham group (57.13 ± 1.63, 58.43 ± 1.98, and 59.21 ± 1.37 vs. 36.65 ± 5.74%; P < 0.05). PHSD also improved cardiac function by reducing the LVEDd and LVEDs (0.88 ± 0.11, 0.75 ± 0.13, and 0.72 ± 0.18 vs. 1.04 ± 0.12 cm; 0.62 ± 0.10, 0.63 ± 0.17, and 0.45 ± 0.11 vs. 0.75 ± 0.13 cm; P < 0.05). The levels of ALD and AngII in the serum of rats in the sham group were significantly higher than those in the blank control group (371.58 ± 39.25 vs. 237.12 ± 17.35 μg/L; 232.18 ± 16.33 vs. 159.44 ± 18.42 pg/L; P < 0.05). The ALD and AngII of the rats in all of the three PHSD groups and the fosinopril group were decreased (276.81 ± 25.63, 277.18 ± 21.35, 268.19 ± 19.28, and 271.47 ± 28.96 vs. 371.58 ± 39.25 μg/L; 169.41 ± 27.53, 168.81 ± 19.78, 164.23 ± 21.34, and 174.27 ± 22.84 vs. 232.18 ± 16.33 pg/L; P < 0.05). The histopathological changes of the myocardium in the sham group showed the disorganized fiber, shaded staining, fracture, and zonation. The fracture of the myocardium was relieved in all groups except the sham group and the blank control group. CONCLUSION: Therefore, PHSD could shorten LVEDd and LVEDs of rats and reverse ventricular remodeling. The mechanism might be related to the inhibition of the activation level of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (especially ALD and AngII) and decreasing the postload of the heart.