Salvianolic Acid B Reducing Portal Hypertension Depends on Macrophages in Isolated Portal Perfused Rat Livers with Chronic Hepatitis

• Main Authors: Xin Zhao, Hongmei Jia, Shijun Yang, Yuetao Liu, Bo Deng, Xueyan Xu, Tao Zhang, Hang Zhou, Chengzhe Zu, He Yin, Ting Li, Yijun Song, Yueqi Wang, Pengtao Li, Zhongmei Zou, Dayong Cai
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hindawi Limited 2012-01-01
• Series: Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/786365

This study is aimed to investigate the effects of Sal B on portal hypertension (PH). PH with chronic hepatitis was induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in rats. The model was confirmed with elevated portal pressures and increased serum CD163 levels. The inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) or heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in portal triads was assessed. The isolated portal perfused rat liver (IPPRL) was performed at d0, d28, d56 , and d84 in the progression of chronic hepatitis. After constricting with phenylephrine, the portal veins were relaxed with Sal B. The EC50 of Sal B for relaxing portal veins was −2.04×10−9, 7.28×10−11, 1.52×10−11, and 8.44×10−11 mol/L at d0, d28, d56, and d84, respectively. More macrophages infiltrated in portal triads and expressed more iNOS or HO-1 as PH advanced. The areas under the curve (AUCs) of Sal B for reducing PH were positively correlated with the levels of iNOS or HO-1 in portal triads, and so did with serum CD163 levels. Sal B reduces PH in IPPRL with chronic hepatitis, via promoting portal relaxation due to macrophage-originated NO or CO in portal triads, partly at least.