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Cardiac transverse section in different groups (HE staining, general pathologic). (a) Sham group; (b) model group; (c) dual antiplatelets group; (d) PQS + dual antiplatelets group.
Source publication
The objective of this study is to investigate the interaction of Panax quinquefolius saponin (PQS) and dual antiplatelets (aspirin and clopidogrel) on antiplatelet activity and vascular endothelial function in rats with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Forty-eight male SD rats were randomly designed into sham group, model group, dual antiplatelet...
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Background
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Objectives
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Citations
... Panax quinquefolius saponin (PQS) is the main active component of Panax quinquefolius. Emerging evidence suggests that PQS exerts pleiotropic beneficial effects on cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, and its protective effects may be mostly attributable to its antioxidant effects [16][17][18]. One previous study found that PQS protected the myocardium against myocardial infarction by reducing oxidative stress injury and suppressing excessive endoplasmic reticulum stress [19]. ...
Background
Panax quinquefolius saponin (PQS) is the main active component of Panax quinquefolius. Emerging evidence suggests that PQS exerts beneficial effects against cardiovascular diseases. However, the role and mechanism of PQS in vascular calcification are not unclear. The present study investigated the effects of PQS on the calcification of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMCs).
Methods
The present study used calcification medium containing 3 mM inorganic phosphate (Pi) to induce rat VSMCs calcification. We investigated the effects of PQS on VSMCs calcification using alizarin red staining and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assays. The intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and the transcriptional activity of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) were determined. The mRNA and protein expression levels of Nrf2, the antioxidant gene heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), osteogenic markers, including runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) and bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2), and Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) were also measured.
Results
Treatment with Pi significantly increased intracellular calcium deposition and ALP activity, which were suppressed by PQS in a concentration-dependent manner. During VSMCs calcification, PQS inhibited the mRNA and protein expression of Runx2 and BMP2. PQS treatment reduced intracellular ROS production and significantly upregulated Nrf2 transcriptional activity and the expression of Nrf2 and its target antioxidant gene HO-1. PQS suppressed the Pi-induced protein expression of Keap1, which is an endogenous inhibitor of Nrf2. Keap1 siRNA treatment induced Nrf2 expression and downregulated Runx2 expression in the presence of Pi and PQS.
Conclusion
Taken together, these findings suggest that PQS could effectively inhibit VSMCs calcification by ameliorating oxidative stress and regulating osteogenic genes via the promotion of Nrf2 expression.
... e mechanism of MKC's antiplatelet effect may be related to inhibiting the stimulation of thrombin on endothelial cells which can protect vascular endothelial function, inhibiting the binding of platelet and thrombin and reducing the adhesion of platelet. Wang et al. [35] observed the effect of PQS combined with DAPTon rats with acute myocardial infarction. e results showed that PQS combined with DAPT could protect vascular endothelial function and inhibit platelet aggregation in rats. ...
Antiplatelet therapy is the key point in the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Effective and safe antiplatelet therapy can avoid the risk of thrombosis or bleeding again. Herbal and Western medicine combined with antiplatelet therapy for ischemic cardiovascular events is a common phenomenon in clinical application, and more and more animal experiments, in vitro cell experiments, and randomized controlled clinical studies have also clarified the efficacy and interaction mechanism of the combination and safety. Herbal and Western medicine combined with antiplatelet therapy has made some progress in improving aspirin resistance and clopidogrel resistance, enhancing antiplatelet and antithrombotic effect, and reducing gastrointestinal adverse reactions caused by antiplatelet drugs. Both of them play the role of antiplatelet and antithrombotic by reducing platelet adhesion, inhibiting platelet activation and aggregation, and inhibiting platelet release, and the combination of drugs is safe. This article elaborates and analyzes the application progress and prospect of Chinese and Western medicine combined with antiplatelet therapy, in order to provide more theoretical support for future research.
... PQS improves ventricular remodeling induced by acute myocardial infarction via a mechanism related to the inhibition of C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP)-mediated endoplasmic reticulum stress-related apoptosis ( . In combination with dual antiplatelet therapy using aspirin and clopidogrel, PQS improves vascular endothelial function and ventricular remodeling in rats with AMI ( Wang et al., 2015) and inhibits adhesion of platelets to injured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) via the PI3K/AKT and COX pathways ( Wang et al., 2016). ...
Background
Cardiac atrophy and reduced cardiac distensibility have been reported following space flight. Cardiac function is correspondingly regulated in response to changes in loading conditions. Panax quinquefolium saponin (PQS) improves ventricular remodeling after acute myocardial infarction by alleviating endoplasmic reticulum stress and Ca²⁺overload. However, whether PQS can ameliorate cardiac atrophy following exposure to simulated microgravity remains unknown.
Purpose
To explore the protective role of PQS in cardiac remodeling under unloading conditions and its underlying mechanisms.
Methods
Hindlimb unloading (HU) model was used to simulate unloading induced cardiac remodeling. Forty-eight male rats were randomly assigned to four groups, including control, PQS, HU and HU + PQS. At 8 weeks after the experiment, cardiac structure and function, serum levels of Creatine Kinase-MB (CK-MB), Cardiactroponin T (cTnT), ischemia modified albumin (IMA), and cardiomyocyte apoptosis were measured. Network pharmacology analysis was used to predict the targets of the six major constituents of PQS, and the signaling pathways they involved in were analyzed by bioinformatics methods. Changes in the key proteins involved in the protective effects of PQS were further confirmed by Western Blot.
Results
Simulated microgravity led to increases in serum levels of CK-MB, cTnT and IMA, remodeling of cardiac structure, impairment of cardiac function, and increased cardiomyocyte apoptosis as compared with control. PQS treatment significantly reduced serum levels of CK-MB, cTnT and IMA, improved the impaired cardiac structure and function, and decreased cardiomyocyte apoptosis induced by unloading. The activation of AMPK and inhibition of Erk1/2 and CaMKII/HDAC4 were demonstrated in the cardiocytes of HU rats after PQS treatment.
Conclusion
PQS provides protection against cardiac remodeling induced by simulated microgravity, partly resulting from changes in the signaling pathways related to energy metabolism reduction, calcium overloading and cell apoptosis.
... The platelet concentration was adjusted to 1.8×10 9 /mL for PPP. According to the Born method [13], 0.3 mL PRP was placed in a cuvette and stirred with a rotor at 37˚C for 5 min, after which 6 μL of ADP was added. Aggregation was measured with a platelet aggregometer (LBY-NJ4, Pulisheng Instrument Co. Ltd., Shanghai, China). ...
Objectives
Previous studies have found that Panax quinquefolius saponins (PQS) combined with dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) of aspirin and clopidogrel enhances antithrombotic effects while reducing gastric mucosal injury induced by DAPT. We investigated the effects of the combined drug therapy (PQS+DAPT) through the COX/PG pathways.
Methods
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was induced in Wistar rats by ligation of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery, and the animals were randomly divided into Model, DAPT, and PQS+DAPT groups. Rats in the sham group did not undergo artery ligation. They were intragastrically treated for 14 days. Myocardial infarct size; myocardial pathology; platelet aggregation rate, CD62p activation, concentrations of thromboxane B2 (TXB2), 6-keto-PGF1α, tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI), the TXB2/6-keto-PGF1α ratio were measured. The ultrastructure of the gastric mucosa was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The expression of PGE2 and 6-keto-PGF1α in gastric mucosa was measured by radioimmunoassay, and levels of COX-1, COX-2, and VEGF in gastric mucosa were assessed using immunohistochemistry.
Results
The addition of Panax quinquefolius saponins (PQS+DAPT) to standard DAPT therapy significantly decreased the myocardial infarct area, degree of myocardial lesions, TXB2 and PAI levels, and the TXB2/6-keto-PGF1α ratio, while increasing 6-keto-PGF1α and t-PA levels and reducing the degree of gastric mucosal injury. Expression of PGE2, 6-keto-PGF1α, COX-2, and VEGF in the gastric mucosa was upregulated in the PQS+DAPT group compared with the standard DAPT group.
Conclusion
PQS increases the degree of DAPT inhibition of myocardial necrosis and antiplatelet effects in AMI rats, as well as reducing damage to the gastric mucosa caused by DAPT. The mechanism may be related to inhibition of TXB2 and PAI activity and elevation of 6-keto-PGF1α and t-PA levels in blood, and may be associated with upregulated expression of COX-2, PGE2, PGI2, and VEGF in gastric tissue.
... Recent investigation showed that the saponins from leaves of P. quinquefolius (PQS) have a variety of pharmacological activity and can be applied in clinic. Wang et al. reported that PQS had a beneficial effect on the treatment of coronary heart disease [28] and PQS is one of the most frequently therapies used in clinical practice for acute myocardial infarction [29]. Additionally, PQS attenuated oxidative stress injury by intermittent high glucose in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells [30] and the extracts from leaves of P. quinquefolius also have anti-inflammation, free radical scavenging and other pharmacological activities in arteriosclerosis [31]. ...
Although cisplatin is an anticancer drug that has activity against malignant tumor, it often causes nephrotoxicity. Previous reports have confirmed that the saponins from the leaves of P. quinquefolium (PQS) exerted many pharmacological activities. However, the renoprotective effects of PQS were still unknown. The purpose of the present research was to discuss renoprotective effect of PQS in a mouse model of cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury (AKI). The levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (CRE) were evidently increased in cisplatin-intoxicated mice, which were reversed by PQS. Renal oxidative stress, evidenced by increased malondialdehyde (MDA) level and decline of glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, was significantly alleviated by PQS pretreatment. The suppression of inflammatory response by PQS was realized through the decrease the mRNA expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in kidney tissues, which were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Simultaneously, the overexpression of cytochrome P450 E1 (CYP2E1) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were attenuated by PQS. Furthermore, the effects ofWestern blotting demonstrated that PQS administration significantly suppressed the protein expression levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase type 4 (Nox4), cleaved Caspase-3, cleaved Caspase-9, Bax, nuclear factor-kB (NF-kβ), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), suggesting the inhibition of apoptosis and inflammation response. Overall, PQS may possess protective effects in cisplatin-induced AKI through suppression of oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis.
... In this paper it was found that the groups treated only with synthetic antiplatelet drugs or the association of plant saponins and synthetic drugs were able to reduce platelet aggregation compared to the control group, but there was no difference in the antiaggregatory activity of the group treated with synthetic drugs and the group treated with association, suggesting no synergistic effect. Still, corroborating this result, this study also evaluated the effects of treatments on the concentration of TXB 2 and showed a significant reduction of this compound in the group treated with saponin and drugs compared to the control group, but, again, no difference was found between groups treated only with drugs [150]. However, it is suggested that further studies involving other saponins and other antiplatelet drugs, in addition to other models, should be conducted to confirm these effects and ensure the absence of interaction between these compounds. ...
Background:
Complex hemostatic mechanisms are involved in the pathophysiology of various diseases, including cardiovascular diseases. Among them, dysregulation of platelet activity is linked to the progression of atherosclerosis and mainly involves platelet aggregation and a decrease in blood flow in the vascular endothelium. The major platelet activation pathways mediated by agonists involve the arachidonic acid pathway, adenosine diphosphate pathway, serotonin pathway, nitric oxide pathway, and action of free radicals on molecules involved in platelet aggregation. These mechanisms have been widely studied and discussed because they are inhibited by the use of medicinal plants in complementary and alternative medicine, thus reducing platelet aggregation.
Results:
Of the main plants discussed in this review, which have antiplatelet activity, some include saffron, garlic, green tea, St. John's wort, ginger, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, and guavirova. These herbal medicines have phytochemical components, which are directly related to the antiplatelet activity of the plant, such as flavonoids, curcumins, catechins, terpenoids, polyphenols, and saponins. While the majority of the medicinal plants mentioned here were native to the Asian continents, some are distributed worldwide, and found to a smaller extent throughout the American continent, European continent, Mediterranean, African continent, and the Middle East.
Conclusion:
This review showed that several plants and/or compounds exhibit anti-platelet activity, and are therefore potential research targets for developing drugs to treat diseases related to aggregation disorders.
... In this trial, we will investigate whether the Xinyue capsule combined with conventional treatment reduces the incidence of MACE and improve quality of life among patients within 1 year after PCI. With the pleiotropic effects that encompass antioxidant, antiapoptosis, and improvement of insulin resistance, PQS was demonstrated to modify regional endothelial function, decrease oxidative stress and blood glucose, and induce angiogenesis [21][22][23][24]. In our previous studies, we have found that Xinyue capsules plus Chuanxiong capsules combined with conventional treatment can further reduce the incidence of cardiovascular events without any adverse effect in patients with ACS after PCI [16]. ...
Background
The risk of cardiovascular events remains high in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) after successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Panax quinquefolius saponin, a major component of Xinyue capsule, has been used to treat patients with CHD. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Xinyue capsules in patients with CHD after PCI. Methods/designThis study is a multicenter, placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized controlled clinical trial. A total of 1100 participants are randomly allocated to two groups: the intervention group and a placebo group. The intervention group receives Xinyue capsules plus conventional treatment, and the placebo group receives placebo capsules plus conventional treatment. The patients receive either Xinyue or placebo capsules three times daily (1.8 g/day) for up to 24 weeks. The primary outcome measure is the time from randomization to the first occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events. The secondary outcome measure is the time from randomization to the first occurrence of stroke, pulmonary embolism, and peripheral vascular events, as well as death due to any cause. All outcome measures will be assessed at 12, 24, 36, and 48 weeks after randomization. Adverse events will be monitored during the trial. DiscussionThe aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of Xinyue capsules on patients with CHD after interventional treatment. The results of this trial will provide critical evidence regarding Chinese herbal medicine treatment for CHD. Trial registrationChinese Clinical Trials Registry identifier ChiCTR-IPR-14005475. Registered on 10 November 2014.
Ginsenosides, the main active ingredients in Panax ginseng, have been used as an adjuvant to treat diabetes mellitus for many years. Experimental and clinical data emerge to support antidiabetic efficacy for ginsenosides ascribe to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-hyperglycemic activities. Existing studies on the mechanisms of ginsenosides in diabetes treatment have mostly focused on single ginenosides and their hypoglycemic effect in cells and animal models. However, a systematical summary of how ginsenosides regulate diabetic-related transcriptional factors and signaling pathways is scarce. Besides, studies on ginsenosides in pharmaceutical preparations have also been limited. Therefore, this review dominantly discusses the roles and mechanisms of ginsenosides in the intervention of blood glucose elevation, as well as the current clinical trials on ginsenosides pharmacology. The elucidation of molecular mechanisms and clinical trials at diabetic status could facilitate ginsenosides application in herbal medicines.
Protection of the ischemic and reperfused myocardium represents a major therapeutic challenge. Translating results from animal studies to the clinical setting has been disappointing, yet the need for effective intervention particularly to limit heart damage following infarction or surgical procedures such as coronary artery bypass grafting is substantial. Among the many compounds touted as cardioprotective agents is ginseng, a medicinal herb belonging to the genus Panax which has been used as a medicinal agent for thousands of years, particularly in Asian societies. The biological actions of ginseng are very complex and reflect composition of many bioactive components although many of the biological and therapeutic effects of ginseng have been attributed to the presence of steroid-like saponins termed ginsenosides. Both ginseng as well as many ginsenosides have been shown to exert cardioprotective properties in experimental models. There is also clinical evidence that traditional Chinese medications containing ginseng exert cardioprotective properties although such clinical evidence is less robust primarily owing to the paucity of large scale clinical trials. Here, we discuss the experimental and clinical evidence for ginseng, ginsenosides and ginseng-containing formulations as cardioprotective agents against ischemic and reperfusion injury. We further discuss potential mechanisms, particularly as these relate to antioxidant properties.
