« Back to Farmacia Journal 3/2019

PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF ELLAGIC ACID IN VASCULAR EPOXIDATION DAMAGE IN A MURINE MODEL OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS

YANHUA XIONG ¹, WENPING ZENG ^2*

Download Full Article PDF

In order to explore the mechanism underlying the protective effect of ellagic acid (EA) against vascular dysfunction and oxidative damage in vascular endothelial cells, a high-fat diet (HFD) murine model was established using 32 ApoE-/- mice and 32 wild type C57BL/6 mice (WT). The degree of atherosclerosis, blood biochemical parameters, the expression of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), the expression of Nrf2 (nuclear factor (erythroid derived 2) like 2) and HO-1 (heme oxygenase-1) proteins were analysed. In addition, the protective effect of EA against oxidative damage in mouse vascular endothelia was studied by detecting the relaxation status of vascular endothelia. The results showed that the plaque area of atherosclerosis decreased significantly in mice treated with EA by increasing the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 in blood vessels. The level of Nrf2 and HO-1 proteins in the arteries of WT mice and ApoE-/- mice treated with EA were significantly increased, suggesting that EA improves vasodilation by increasing Nrf2 expression.