Abstract

Dan-Shen-Yin (DSY) is a famous traditional Chinese formula. We determined its integrated protective effects mechanisms of DSY in diabetic atherosclerosis rat model. DSY (5 or 10 g/kg/day for 4 weeks) was orally administrated to the diabetic atherosclerosis rats, which were induced by nitric oxide inhibition ( L-NAME in drinking water, 1 mg/ml) plus high-fat diet. At the end of the experiments, the serum level of malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and GSH-peroxidase (GPX) activities and the serum level of glutathione(GSH) were measured; The concentrations of circulating inflammatory markers C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor-a (TNF-α) and serum fructosamine were determined, daily food and water intakes were measured and body weights were recorded every week. Also, we determined the total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and the mRNAs expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 and CD36 mRNA in aorta. The results demonstrated that DSY had no direct effect in lowering serum fructosamine, but can produce a higher survival rate less body weight loss and more water intake in diabetic atherosclerosis in GK rats，which may be through anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, regulating blood lipid, inhibiting expression of genes related to foam cell formation in rat aorta. Dan-Shen-Yin may be used as a promising agent for both prophylaxis and treatment of diabetic atherosclerosis.

Key words: Chinese medicine formula, Dan-Shen-Yin, diabetic atherosclerosis, oxidative stress, inflammation, blood lipid, genes related to foam cell formation, diabetic GK rats.