Rhodiola crenulata extract counteracts the effect of hypobaric hypoxia in rat heart via redirection of the nitric oxide and arginase 1 pathway

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Research Article

Yu-Kuan Wu¹  Tsu-Chung Chang¹  Li-Shian Shi²  Shih-Wei Hsu³  Kuen-Tze Lin⁴  Shih-Yu Lee⁵ 

[1] Department of Biochemistry, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan;Department of Biotechnology, National Formosa University, Yunlin, Taiwan;Department of Neurosurgery, Taichung Armed Forces General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan;Department of Radiation Oncology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan;Graduate Institute of Aerospace and Undersea Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, P.O. Box 90048-514, Nei-Hu 114, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.;

关键词: Rhodiola crenulata;    Hypobaric hypoxia;    Heart;    Nitric oxide;    Arginase 1;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12906-016-1524-z

 received in 2016-04-14, accepted in 2016-12-08,  发布年份 2017

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundRhodiola crenulata is traditionally used as a folk medicine in Tibet for preventing high-altitude illnesses, including sudden cardiac death (SCD). The cardio-protective effects of Rhodiola crenulata root extract (RCE) against hypoxia in vivo have been recently confirmed. However, the way in which RCE produces these effects remains unclear. The present study is designed to confirm the protective effects of RCE on the heart in acute hypobaric hypoxia exposure and examine the mechanisms by which this occurs.MethodsSprague–Dawley (SD) rats were pretreated with or without RCE and then exposed to a simulated altitude of 8000 m in a hypobaric hypoxia chamber for 9 h. The expression of cardiac arginase 1 (Arg-1) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and the activity of associated signaling pathways was examined.ResultsHypoxia reduced cardiac eNOS phosphorylation and increased Arg-1 expression, but both responses were reversed by RCE pre-treatment. In addition, RCE decreased the hypoxia-induced oxidative stress markers of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, malondialdehyde (MDA) level, and protein carbonyl content. Furthermore, RCE protected cardiomyocytes from hypoxia-induced cardiac apoptosis and restored the phosphorylation level of AKT and p38 MAPK as well as the superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) content in hypoxic animals.ConclusionThe findings provide evidence that the effects of Rhodiola crenulata against altitude illness are partially mediated by modulation of eNOS and Arg-1 pathways in the heart.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2017

【 图 表 】

12864_2016_3440_Article_IEq27.gif

12864_2017_4030_Article_IEq1.gif

12864_2016_3440_Article_IEq25.gif