Research

Effects of Astragaloside IV on heart failure in rats

Zhuanyou Zhao¹ , Weiting Wang¹ , Fang Wang² , Kerui Zhao³ , Yingmei Han¹ , Weiren Xu¹ and Lida Tang¹

¹  State Key Laboratory of Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Tianjin Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, Tianjin 300193, PR China

²  Department of Pharmacology, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, PR China

³  Department of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical College, Tianjin 300222, PR China

author email corresponding author email

Chinese Medicine 2009, 4:6doi:10.1186/1749-8546-4-6

Published:	2 April 2009

Abstract

Background

Astragaloside IV (ASI) in Radix Astragali is believed to be the active component in treating heart failure. The present study aims to examine the effects of ASI on cardiovascular parameters in long-term heart failure in rats.

Methods

Using echocardiographic and haemodynamic measurements, we studied the effects of ASI on congestive heart failure (CHF) induced by ligation of the left coronary artery in rats.

Results

ASI (0.1, 0.3 and 1.0 mg/kg/day) attenuated the decline of fractional shortening (FS). The peak derivatives of the left ventricle (LV) pressure (dp/dt) in ASI-treated groups significantly increased. Both LV internal diameters in diastole (LVIDd) and in systole (LVIDs) decreased significantly after ASI treatment (0.3 and 1.0 mg/kg/day). ASI (1.0 mg/kg/day) attenuated the decrease of LV systolic pressure (LVSP). ASI treatment inhibited compensatory hypertrophy of myocardial cells and lowered the number of apoptotic myocytes.

Conclusion

ASI improved cardiac functions as measured by cardiovascular parameters.