Research Center for High Altitude Medicine, Key Laboratory of High Altitude Medicine (Ministry of Education), Key Laboratory of Application and Foundation for High Altitude Medicine Research in Qinghai Province (Qinghai-Utah Joint Research Key Lab for High Altitude Medicine), Qinghai University, Xining, 810001, PR China; Medical College, Qinghai University, Xining, 810001, PR China.
Technical Center of Xining Customs (Key Laboratory of Food Safety Research In Qinghai Province), Xining, 810003, PR China.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2022 Oct 28;297:115572. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2022.115572. Epub 2022 Jul 22.
Srolo Bzhtang (SBT), which consists of Solms-laubachia eurycarpa, Bergenia purpurascens, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, and lac secreted by Laccifer lacca Kerr (Lacciferidae Cockerell), is a well-known traditional Tibetan medicinal formula and was documented to cure "lung-heat" syndrome by eliminating "chiba" in the ancient Tibetan medical work Four Medical Tantras (Rgyud bzhi). Clinically, it is a therapy for pulmonary inflammatory disorders, such as pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, whether and how SBT participates in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is still unclear.
We aimed to determine the role of SBT in attenuating pulmonary arterial pressure and vascular remodeling caused by monocrotaline (MCT) and hypoxia. To elucidate the potential mechanism underlying SBT-mediated PAH, we investigated the changes in inflammatory cytokines and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway.
MCT- and hypoxia-induced PAH rat models were used. After administering SBT for four weeks, the rats were tested for hemodynamic indicators, hematological changes, pulmonary arterial morphological changes, and the levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in serum and lung tissues. Protein expression of the MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway was determined using western blotting.
SBT reduced pulmonary arterial pressure, vascular remodeling, and the levels of inflammatory cytokines induced by MCT and hypoxia in rats. Furthermore, SBT significantly suppressed the MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway.
To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that SBT alleviates MCT- and hypoxia-induced PAH in rats, which is related to its anti-inflammatory actions involving inhibition of the MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway.
藏药“索罗玛布扎”（SBT）由索罗玛布扎（Solms-laubachia eurycarpa）、毛喉鞘蕊花（Bergenia purpurascens）、甘草（Glycyrrhiza uralensis）和紫胶虫（Laccifer lacca Kerr）分泌的紫胶组成，是一种著名的藏药方剂，在古代藏医四部医典（Rgyud bzhi）中被记载可用于治疗“肺热”综合征，消除“赤巴”。临床上，它是一种治疗肺炎、慢性支气管炎和慢性阻塞性肺疾病等肺部炎症性疾病的疗法。然而，SBT 是否以及如何参与肺动脉高压（PAH）仍不清楚。
本研究旨在确定 SBT 在减轻野百合碱（MCT）和缺氧引起的肺动脉压和血管重构中的作用。为了阐明 SBT 介导的 PAH 的潜在机制，我们研究了炎症细胞因子和丝裂原活化蛋白激酶（MAPK）/核因子-κB（NF-κB）信号通路的变化。
使用 MCT 和缺氧诱导的 PAH 大鼠模型。给予 SBT 四周后，检测大鼠的血流动力学指标、血液学变化、肺动脉形态变化以及血清和肺组织中白细胞介素（IL）-1β、IL-6 和肿瘤坏死因子（TNF）-α的水平。采用 Western blot 法测定 MAPK/NF-κB 信号通路蛋白表达。
SBT 降低了 MCT 和缺氧诱导的大鼠肺动脉压、血管重构和炎症细胞因子水平。此外，SBT 显著抑制了 MAPK/NF-κB 信号通路。
据我们所知，这是第一项证明 SBT 缓解 MCT 和缺氧诱导的大鼠 PAH 的研究，这与其抗炎作用有关，涉及抑制 MAPK/NF-κB 信号通路。
