Lab Anim Res.  2014 Jun;30(2):84-89. 10.5625/lar.2014.30.2.84.

An ethanolic extract of Angelica gigas improves atherosclerosis by inhibiting vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation

• Jang JY
• Kim J
• Cai J
• Kim Y
• Shin K
• Kim TS
• Lee SP
• Park SK
• Choi EK
• Kim YB

• KMID: 1707448
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5625/lar.2014.30.2.84

Abstract

The effects of an ethanolic extract of Angelica gigas (EAG) on the vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation and high-cholesterol diet-induced hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis were investigated. Rat aortic VSMCs were stimulated with platelet-derived growth factor-BB (25 ng/mL) for the induction of DNA synthesis and cell proliferation. EAG (1-10 microg/mL) significantly inhibited both the thymidine incorporation and cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. Hypercholesterolemia was induced by feeding male New Zealand white rabbits with 0.5% cholesterol in diet for 10 weeks, during which EAG (1% in diet) was given for the final 8 weeks after 2-week induction of hypercholesterolemia. Hypercholesterolemic rabbits exhibited great increases in serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins (LDL) levels, and finally severe atheromatous plaque formation covering 28.4% of the arterial walls. EAG significantly increased high-density lipoproteins (HDL), slightly decreased LDL, and potentially reduced the atheroma area to 16.6%. The results indicate that EAG attenuates atherosclerosis not only by inhibiting VASC proliferation, but also by increasing blood HDL levels. Therefore, it is suggested that EAG could be an alternative or an adjunct therapy for the improvement of hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis.

Keyword

Hypercholesterolemia; atherosclerosis; vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation; Angelica gigas

MeSH Terms

Angelica*
Animals
Atherosclerosis*
Cell Proliferation*
Cholesterol
Diet
DNA
Ethanol*
Humans
Hypercholesterolemia
Lipoproteins, HDL
Lipoproteins, LDL
Male
Muscle, Smooth, Vascular*
Plaque, Atherosclerotic
Rabbits
Rats
Thymidine
Cholesterol
DNA
Ethanol
Lipoproteins, HDL
Lipoproteins, LDL
Thymidine

Figure

• 

  Figure 1 Effect of ethanolic (EAG) and water (WAG) extracts of Angelica gigas on the proliferation (A) and thymidine incorporation (B) of rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cells stimulated by platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB, 25 ng/mL). *Significantly different from normal (untreated) control, P<0.05. #Significantly different from PDGF-BB alone, P<0.05.

• 

  Figure 2 Time-course of blood concentrations of total cholesterol (A), low-density lipoproteins (LDL, B), and high-density lipoproteins (HDL, C) in high-cholesterol diet (HCD)-fed rabbits treated with an ethanolic extract of Angelica gigas (EAG). Treatments were started 2 weeks following induction of hypercholesterolemia. ○, normal; ●, HCD; ▼, HCD+1% EAG. *Significantly different from normal diet, P<0.05. #Significantly different from HCD alone, P<0.05.

• 

  Figure 3 Representative findings of the aorta (A) and area of atheromatous plaques (B) of high-cholesterol diet (HCD)-fed rabbits treated with an ethanolic extract of Angelica gigas (EAG). *Significantly different from normal diet, P<0.05. #Significantly different from HCD alone, P<0.05.

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