Effects of Tribu Saponin from Tribulus terrestris on Gene Expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, PPARα and PPARγ in Artery Vessels of Atherosclerotic Rats.

SHI Chang-jie; QU Wei-jing; GAO Juan

To investigate the effects of tribu saponin from Tribulus terrestris (STT) on the gene expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, PPARα and PPARγ in artery vessels of atherosclerotic rats, the medal rats of atherosclerosis were established by feeding with high cholesterol diet and injecting with vitamin D3. The rats were divided into normal group, model group, simvastatin group and 3 groups with STT. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR was used to detect ICAM-1, VCAM-1, PPARα and PPARγ gene expression in artery vessels. The changes of gene expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, PPARα and PPARγ in artery vessels in each group were analyzed. The results showed that ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 gene expression levels in the model group were significantly higher than those of normal group (P<0.01), while the PPARα, PPARγ gene expression in the model group were significantly lower than those of normal group (P<0.01); Compared with model group, the ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 gene expression levels in each medicated group were significantly lower (P<0.01-P<0.05) and the PPARα and PPARγ gene expression levels in each medicated group were significantly higher (P<0.01). STT can down regulate the gene expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and up regulate the gene expression of PPARα, PPARγ in artery vessels of arterosclerotic rats, which may account for the anti-arteriosclerosis effects of STT.

SAPONINS; TRIBULUS terrestris; GENE expression; ATHEROSCLEROSIS; LABORATORY rats

Natural Product Research & Development, 2009, Vol 21, Issue 5, p761

1001-6880

Academic Journal