Effect Of Maimendong Decoction On Model Animals Of Systemic Sclerosis:Observation Of The Levels Of VEGF、PDGF、ET-1、ANG-Ⅱ In Serum

Objective: SSc(Systemic scleroderma,SSc)is an autoimmune disease which had been characterized by vascular damages and extracellular matrix deposition.Thus would ultimately result in loss of organ function.Autoimmune and inflammatory phenomena are commonly presented in SSc.And deregulated fibroblast extracellular matrix deposition,hallmark of the disease in conjunction with fibro-proliferative vasculopathy always can be found.According to the basic TCM theory "lungs associating with skin" and "lungs regulating about vascellum while connecting of all vessels",Maimendong Decoction had been chosen for our research as it is the significant formula for treating the patents of lung Yin deficiency.Observation on the level of VEGF,PDGF,ET-1,and ANG-Ⅱ in serum and the pathological changes appeared on the animal models would help us explore the mechanism of this disease and verify the correlation between lungs and skin as well as vascellum by the evidence of modern medicine.Methods: 72 female BALB/c mice had been randomly divided into 6 groups as: control group,model group,low dose of Maimendong Decoction group,medium dose of Maimendong Decoction group,high dose of Maimendong Decoction group,and tablet of Bozhi group.Animals from control group were demanded Phosphate Buffered Saline(PBS)injection 0.1ml on the middle of their backs for 3 weeks.Meanwhile,the other groups demanded Bleomycin(BLM)injection 0.1ml for 3 weeks as well.After the creating of the animal models,5 times,3 times and 1 time dose of Maimendong Decoction were requested for these three herbal treating groups and the same dose of physiological saline and solution of Bozhi tablet to control group and Bozhi group.Collect the serum by the method of picking off animal’s eyeball after another 3 weeks treatment and then analyze the results from Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay(ELISA)test.Specimen of lungs,skin and one part of vein were collected and immersed into 10% formaldehyde solution and Pathological changes had been recorded under the microscopic observation.Results:(1)Results from each herbal treatment groups showed that Maimendong Decoction may retard the fibrosis of lungs,vascellum and the deposition of the collagen in skin;(2)VEGF and PDGF levels in animals serum comparing with treatment groups could be found higher(P<0.05)while ET-1 and ANG-Ⅱlevels were higher than others as well(P<0.05);(3)VEGF and PDGF levels in animals serum among high dose,medium dose and low dose of Maimendong Decoction group showed lower results than model ones(P<0.05)while ET-1 and ANG-Ⅱlevels in high dose and medium dose of Maimendong Decoction group were lower than model ones(P<0.05);(4)VEGF levels among high dose,medium dose and low dose of Maimendong Decoction group were as same as contol group(P>0.05)and PDGF levels in high dose of Maimendong Decoction group were lower than contol group;ET-1 levels in medium dose and high dose of Maimendong Decoction group were less than model group(P<0.05);ANG-Ⅱ levels in low dose,medium dose and high dose of Maimendong Decoction group were less than model group(P<0.05)which means no difference comparing with contol group(P>0.05);Conclusion:(1)Maimendong Decoction may decrease the content of hydroxyproline in the skin,lungs and vascular of the animal models which created with the injection of Bleomycin;(2)There were certain therapeutic effect on the SSc mice among the groups of Maimendong Decoction in the aspect of Skin sclerosis,pulmonary interstitial fibrosis and vascular injuries;(3)The reduction of VEGF and PDGF and the reduction of ET-1 and ANG-Ⅱ might be the reason which lead to the alleviation of this disease;(4)There should be somewhat relationship about the dose between the effects among each treating groups.