Search Results (2)

Promotion of angiogenesis and restoration of the blood flow in the ischemic penumbra is an effective treatment for patients with ischemic stroke (IS). Radix astragali-safflower (AS), a classic herbal pair for accelerating blood circulation and dispersing blood stasis, has been used for thousands of years to treat patients with IS in China. Even so, the mechanism of the treatment of IS by AS is still undecipherable. In the current study, network pharmacology was firstly employed to unveil the mechanism of AS in treating IS, which showed that AS might promote angiogenesis associated with PTGS2 silence. Middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) model rats were then used as the experimental animals to verify the prediction result. The experimental results revealed that treatment with AS improved the cerebral infarct volume, neurological damage, and cerebral histopathological damage; inhibited cell apoptosis; increased the contents of PDGF-BB, EPO, and TGF-β1; and reduced the levels of PF4, Ang-2, and TIMP-1 in serum. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that the expression of PTGS2 was dramatically increased in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex of rats with MCAO/R, and this trend was reversed by the treatment of AS. Immunofluorescent staining expressed that AS reversed the down-regulation of VEGF and further promoted the expression of CD31, which indicated that AS promoted angiogenesis in MCAO/R rats. The abnormal protein or mRNA expression of PTGS2, PGI2, bFGF, TSP-1, and VEGF in the penumbra were transposed by AS or Celecoxib (an inhibitor of PTGS2). In conclusion, the protective mechanism of AS for IS promoted angiogenesis and was involved with PTGS2 silence. Full article

The flower of Carthamus tinctorius L. (Carthami Flos, safflower), important in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), is known for treating blood stasis, coronary heart disease, hypertension, and cerebrovascular disease in clinical and experimental studies. It is widely accepted that hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) and anhydrosafflor yellow B (ASYB) are the major bioactive components of many formulae comprised of safflower. In this study, selective knock-out of target components such as HSYA and ASYB by using preparative high performance liquid chromatography (prep-HPLC) followed by antiplatelet and anticoagulation activities evaluation was used to investigate the roles of bioactive ingredients in safflower series of herb pairs. The results showed that both HSYA and ASYB not only played a direct role in activating blood circulation, but also indirectly made a contribution to the total bioactivity of safflower series of herb pairs. The degree of contribution of HSYA in the safflower and its series herb pairs was as follows: Carthami Flos-Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma Rubra (CF-GR) > Carthami Flos-Sappan Lignum (CF-SL) > Carthami Flos-Angelicae Sinensis Radix (CF-AS) > Carthami Flos-Astragali Radix (CF-AR) > Carthami Flos-Angelicae Sinensis Radix (CF-AS) > Carthami Flos-Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (CF-GL) > Carthami Flos-Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (CF-SM) > Carthami Flos (CF), and the contribution degree of ASYB in the safflower and its series herb pairs: CF-GL > CF-PS > CF-AS > CF-SL > CF-SM > CF-AR > CF-GR > CF. So, this study provided a significant and effective approach to elucidate the contribution of different herbal components to the bioactivity of the herb pair, and clarification of the variation of herb-pair compatibilities. In addition, this study provides guidance for investigating the relationship between herbal compounds and the bioactivities of herb pairs. It also provides a scientific basis for reasonable clinical applications and new drug development on the basis of the safflower series of herb pairs. Full article