Background: Do In Seung Gi-Tang (DISGT) is an herbal mixture of traditional Korean medicine that is composed of\nRheum undulatum Linne, Prunus Persica (L.) Batsch, Conyza canadensis L., Cinnamomum Cassia Presl, and Glycytthiza\nuralensis Fischer (8: 6: 4: 4: 4 ratio). We investigated the effect of DISGT on vascular inflammation and lipid\naccumulation in apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoEâË?â??/âË?â??) mice.\nMethods: ApoEâË?â??/âË?â?? mice that were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) were treated with DISGT (300 mg/kg/day) or statin\n(10 mg/kg/day) for 16 weeks. Serum lipid levels were analyzed. Oil Red O staining was used to evaluate\natherosclerotic lesions and lipid accumulation in the aorta and liver, respectively. The expression of adhesion\nmolecules (intercellular adhesion molecule-1 [ICAM-1], vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 [VCAM-1], and E-selectin),\nfatty acid synthase (FAS), adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and acetyl-coA carboxylase\n(ACC) in the aorta or liver tissues was measured by western blot analysis. Lipid synthesis and inflammatory\nresponses were assessed by immunohistochemistry and hematoxylin & eosin staining, respectively.\nResults: Treatment of HFD-fed mice with DISGT significantly lowered body weight, liver weight, and the levels of\nlipids, including total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and triglycerides. Glucose levels were also\nlowered. In the aorta, DISGT attenuated atherosclerotic lesions and reduced the expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and\nE-selectin. Moreover, DISGT decreased lipid accumulation, inflammatory responses, and FAS levels, and it activated\nAMPK and reduced ACC expression in liver tissues.\nConclusions: The beneficial, anti-lipolytic, and anti-inflammatory effects of DISGT were mediated by the AMPK\npathway. As a result, the expression of inflammatory factors was reduced. Our data provide evidence that DISGT\nmay have strong therapeutic potential in treating vascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis.
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