Biochemical and biophysical research communications
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Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. · Dec 2014
An extract from medical leech improve the function of endothelial cells in vitro and attenuates atherosclerosis in ApoE null mice by reducing macrophages in the lesions.
Medicinal leech has been widely used as a traditional Chinese medicine in cardiovascular diseases. However, its pharmaceutical effect is not fully revealed. The goal of this study was to determine whether a leech extract has the effect of anti-atherosclerosis in ApoE −/− mice and the mechanism of this effect. ⋯ Leech extract could obviously attenuate the area of atherosclerosis lesion in ApoE −/− mice. And this effect is dose dependent. The effect is mainly a result of reduced invasion of monocyte in artery walls by blocking NF-κB translocation.