Inhibitory effect of ligustrazine on proliferation of rabbit vascular smooth muscle cells after arterial injury.

AIM

To study the inhibitory effect of ligustrazine (Lig) on growth of cultured rabbit aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) after balloon injury.

METHODS

Twenty New Zealand white rabbits were subjected to arterial injury with a balloon catheter (810 kPa for three consecutive inflations, 1 min each time). The uptake of [3H]thymidine in primary cultural VSMC incubated with rabbit serum, which obtained from the animals treated without or with Lig (40 mg.kg-1.d-1, i.v.) for 21 d (7 d before and 14 d after the injury procedure) was determined. The determination was performed in direct addition of TMP to culture as well. And histological cross-sections of the blood wall were also analyzed.

RESULTS

After balloon injury the intimal thickening (77 +/- 23) microns and lumen diameter narrowing (877 +/- 118) microns in dilated sites were increased significantly than the normal adjacent wall [(41 +/- 13) microns, P < 0.01; (1033 +/- 175) microns, P < 0.05, respectively]. Treatment with Lig decreased both intimal thickening (56 +/- 16) microns (P < 0.05) and lumen diameter narrowing (1023 +/- 157) microns (P < 0.05). Lig inhibited [3H]thymidine uptake in VSMC incubated with the serum obtained from these rabbits. Direct addition of Lig inhibited [3H]thymidine uptake in cultured VSMC in a dose-dependent manner (40-4000) micrograms/well.

CONCLUSION

Lig shows a pronounced inhibitory effect on VSMC proliferation after balloon injury.