Abstract

The aim of this study was to observe the effect of early application of the Chinese Medicine Tongxinluo on cardiomyopathy in diabetic rats. 36 rats were randomly divided into normal control group, diabetic group and Tongxinluo (TXL) group. Streptozotocin was used for preparation of diabetic model of Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. Tongxinluo powder (1.43 g of crude drug/g dry powder) was dissolved in water and used for gavage at a dosage of 0.3 g kg^-1 day^-1. Blood glucose was detected 8 weeks later; left ventricular systolic pressure and left ventricular end diastolic pressure, maximum rise and fall rate of left ventricular pressure (± dp/dt max) were determined; myocardial pathological changes were observed under light microscopy and electron microscopy after Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. ± dp/dt max in the diabetic rat group decreased, but ± dp/dt max of the Tongxinluo group increased, and the difference was significant (P < 0.05). Under light microscope, the myocardium myofibril of the diabetic group was deranged, and myofilament composition was reduced. Electron microscopy showed that cardiac endothelial cells were markedly swollen, and the basilar membrane of capillary vessel showed irregular obvious thickening. The lesions of the Tongxinluo group were mild. Tongxinluo can significantly improve cardiac function of diabetic rats and reduce diabetic cardiomyopathy.

Key words: Tongxinluo, diabetic rats, diabetic cardiomyopathy.