AIM:To investigate the effect of fufang danshen diwan on the formation of atherosclerosis(AS) in carotid artery and the
expression
of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1(VCAM 1) in the carotid artery wall of
rabbits.METHODS:Forty eight New Zealand white rabbits, weighing 1.8～2.3 kg,were divided into six groups at random: normal control group,AS model group, simvatatin group, danshen groups of high, middle and low dosages.The rabbits in the normal control group were fed with normal feed, while the rabbits in the other 5 groups were fed with high fat feed of 40 g per day(reduced to 20 g per day in the last month), and fed with normal feed in necessary. Rabbits in the simvastain group(4 mg/kg per day), high (0.117 g/kg per day),middle(0.039 g/kg per day) and low(0.013 g/kg per day) dosages of danshen groups were treated for 3 months respectively, then the rabbits were killed,and successive section from the crotch of carotid arteries were prepared,HE staining and computer graphic scanning were conducted,size of AS plaque and the area of plaque in the lumen of carotid were analyzed quantitatively, and the
expression of VCAM 1 in carotid arteries of rabbits was detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting.RESULTS:Fufang danshen diwan could obviously diminish the AS plaque in carotid.The positive expression rate of VCAM 1 in the high, middle and low dosage danshen groups were(38.5±2.6)%,(43.4±4.3)%and(49.0±3.0)%,respectively,all significantly lower than that in the model group <(74.1±2.8)%> (F=328.880, P< 0.01).CONCLUSION:The inhibition of VCAM 1 expression by fufang danshen diwan in carotid arteries of rabbits may be one of its mechanisms for diminishing the AS plaques.