Ginseng, the root of Panax ginseng C. A. Mayer, has long been used clinically in China to treat various diseases. Multiple effects of ginseng, such as antitumor, antiinflammatory, antiallergic, antioxidative, antidiabetic and antihypertensive have been confirmed by modern medicine. Recently, the clinical utilization of ginseng to treat heart diseases has increased dramatically. The roles of ginseng in protecting heart are foci for research in modern medical science and have been partially demonstrated, and the mechanisms of protection against coronary artery disease, cardiac hypertrophy, heart failure, cardiac energy metabolism, cardiac contractility, and arrhythmia are being uncovered progressively. However, more studies are needed to elucidate the complex mechanisms by which ginseng protects heart. All such studies will provide evidence of ginseng＇s clinical application, international promotion, and new drug development.
Objective： To investigate the regulatory effects of Shenfu Injection （SFI, 参附注射液） on hemodynamic parameters and serum proteins in rats with post-infarction chronic heart failure （CHF）. Methods： Forty-five healthy Wistar rats were randomized into three groups： sham, heart failure （model） and SFI group. The CHF was induced by left coronary artery ligation. Seven days after the surgical operation, animals in the sham group and the model group received saline （6.2 mL/kg/d）, while animals in the SFI group received SFI （6.2 mL/kg.d） intraperitoneally. Four weeks later, cardiac hemodynamic parameters were measured via the carotid route. The expression of serum proteins was analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis and matrixassisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer （MALDI-TOF MS）. Results： Recording of hemodynamic parameters showed that left ventricular systolic pressure （LVSP）, maximum rate of left ventricular pressure （＋dp/dtmax） rise, and maximum rate of left ventricular pressure （-dp/dtmax） decrease, while the left ventricular end diastolic pressure （LVEDP） rose in the model group compared to those in the sham group （P〈0.05）. The results of the MALDI-TOF MS indicated that haptoglobin （HP）, pentraxin 3 （PTX3） and alpha-1- antitrypsin were up-regulated, while serum albumin and 40S ribosomal protein were down-regulated in the model group （P〈0.05）. Compared with the model group, LVSP, ＋dp/dtmax and -dp/dtmax were higher, while LVEDP was lower in the SFI group （P〈0.05）. Expression levels of HP and PTX3 were lower than in the model group （P〈0.05）. Conclusion： SFI could improve hemodynamic function and decrease inflammatory reactions in the pathophysiology of CHF. The serum proteins HP and PTX3 could be potential biomarkers for chronic ischemic heart failure, and they could also be the serum protein targets of SFI.
MicroRNAs （miRNAs） are a class of short, single-stranded, noncoding RNAs that modulate avariety of biological functions as negative regulators gene expression. Post-transcriptional regulation of by miRNAs is crucial in many aspects including cell proliferation and death. They play important regulatory roles in endothelial cell function, which are significant for the treatment of endothelial dysfunction and related metabolic disorders. This review summarizes current insights into the functions of miRNAs, focusing specifically on the regulation of endothelial function.
