Effect of puerarin on pulmonary arterioles wall collagen metabolism of chronic hypoxia hypercapnia rats

AIM:To investigate the effect of puerarin on pulmonary vessel collagen metabolism in pulmonary hypertension rats induced by chronic hypoxia and hypercapnia.METHODS:Collagen Ⅰ, Ⅲ and their mRNA were observed in pulmonary arterioles by the technique of immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization.RESULTS:① Light microscopy showed media thickness of pulmonary arterioles was much higher in HH(hypoxic-hypercapnia) group than that of NC(normal control) group, and, vessel cavity turned more straiter in HH group than that of NC group.However, the damage of pulmonary arterioles in HP(hypoxic-pueratin) group was much slighter than that of HH group. ② The levels of plasma ET-1 and lung homogenates Hyr were much higher in HH group than those of NC group(P＜0.01), and lower in HP group than HH groups(P＜0.01).Plasma NO content in group HH was lower than that of group NC(P＜0.01), it was higher in group HP than that of group HH(P＜0.01).③Expression of collagen Ⅰ and collagen Ⅰ mRNA in pulmonary arterioles were significantly higher in HH groups than those of NC group (P＜0.01), and they were lower in HP group than those of HH group (P＜0.01).Expression of collagen Ⅲ and collagen Ⅲ mRNA showed no difference among three groups(P＞0.05).CONCLUSION:Puerarin inhibited the deposition of collagen and improved pulmonary vessel remodeling.