Qingda Granule Attenuates Hypertension-Induced Cardiac Damage via Regulating Renin-Angiotensin System Pathway

Lin-Zi Long; Ling Tan; Feng-Qin Xu; Wen-Wen Yang; Hong-Zheng Li; Jian-Gang Liu; Ke Wang; Zhi-Ru Zhao; Yue-Qi Wang; Chao-Ju Wang; Yi-Chao Wen; Ming-Yan Huang; Hua Qu; Chang-Geng Fu; Ke-Ji Chen

doi:10.1007/s11655-024-3807-4

Qingda Granule Attenuates Hypertension-Induced Cardiac Damage via Regulating Renin-Angiotensin System Pathway

Chin J Integr Med. 2024 Sep 7. doi: 10.1007/s11655-024-3807-4. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Lin-Zi Long¹, Ling Tan², Feng-Qin Xu¹, Wen-Wen Yang³, Hong-Zheng Li⁴, Jian-Gang Liu¹, Ke Wang⁵, Zhi-Ru Zhao¹, Yue-Qi Wang⁶, Chao-Ju Wang⁷, Yi-Chao Wen⁷, Ming-Yan Huang³, Hua Qu³, Chang-Geng Fu⁸, Ke-Ji Chen^{3

9}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Geriatrics, Xiyuan Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100091, China.
² Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, 518033, China.
³ Xiyuan Hospital, National Cardiovascular Clinical Medical Research Center of Traditional Medicine, Beijing, 100091, China.
⁴ Graduate School of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100091, China.
⁵ Cardiovascular Department, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, 030002, China.
⁶ Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, the State Key Laboratory of Management and Control for Complex Systems, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100090, China.
⁷ Cadre 2 Ward, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Urumqi, 830000, China.
⁸ Xiyuan Hospital, National Cardiovascular Clinical Medical Research Center of Traditional Medicine, Beijing, 100091, China. fucgbs@163.com.
⁹ Academy of Integrative Medicine, Fujian Univrsity of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350122, China.

PMID: 39243318
DOI: 10.1007/s11655-024-3807-4

Abstract

Objective: To assess the efficacy of Qingda Granule (QDG) in ameliorating hypertension-induced cardiac damage and investigate the underlying mechanisms involved.

Methods: Twenty spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were used to develope a hypertension-induced cardiac damage model. Another 10 Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were used as normotension group. Rats were administrated intragastrically QDG [0.9 g/(kg•d)] or an equivalent volume of pure water for 8 weeks. Blood pressure, histopathological changes, cardiac function, levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory response markers were measured. Furthermore, to gain insights into the potential mechanisms underlying the protective effects of QDG against hypertension-induced cardiac injury, a network pharmacology study was conducted. Predicted results were validated by Western blot, radioimmunoassay immunohistochemistry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively.

Results: The administration of QDG resulted in a significant decrease in blood pressure levels in SHRs (P<0.01). Histological examinations, including hematoxylin-eosin staining and Masson trichrome staining revealed that QDG effectively attenuated hypertension-induced cardiac damage. Furthermore, echocardiography demonstrated that QDG improved hypertension-associated cardiac dysfunction. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and colorimetric method indicated that QDG significantly reduced oxidative stress and inflammatory response levels in both myocardial tissue and serum (P<0.01).

Conclusions: Both network pharmacology and experimental investigations confirmed that QDG exerted its beneficial effects in decreasing hypertension-induced cardiac damage by regulating the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)/angiotensin II (Ang II)/Ang II receptor type 1 axis and ACE/Ang II/Ang II receptor type 2 axis.

Keywords: Qingda Granule; blood pressure; cardiac damage; hypertension; renin-angiotensin system.