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Effect of Magnesium tanshinoate B on the production of nitric oxide in endothelial cells

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Abstract

Nitric oxide (NO) is a potent vasodilator which plays an important role in regulating vascular tones. Danshen, a Chinese herbal medicine has been widely used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of magnesium tanshinoate B (MTB), a compound purified from Danshen, on the production of NO in human endothelial cell line (ECV304). After cells were incubated with MTB (1-10 µM) for 1 or 4 h, amounts of NO metabolites released by cells were quantified and cellular NOS activities were determined following the conversion of [3H]arginine to [3H]citrulline. The NOS protein expression was determined by Western immunoblotting analysis. MTB (1-10 µM) stimulated the release of NO and its metabolites from endothelial cells. Following MTB treatment, the cellular NOS activities were significantly enhanced with a concomitant increase in the levels of constitutive NOS (cNOS) protein mass (110-178%). Selective activation of cNOS by MTB may be employed therapeutically in modulating NO production in endothelial cells.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

    O Karmin, Filly Cheung, Fion L. Sung & Yaw L. Siow

  2. Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China

    Da-Yuan Zhu

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  1. O Karmin
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  2. Filly Cheung
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  3. Fion L. Sung
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  4. Da-Yuan Zhu
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Karmin, O., Cheung, F., Sung, F.L. et al. Effect of Magnesium tanshinoate B on the production of nitric oxide in endothelial cells. Mol Cell Biochem 207, 35–39 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007081911734

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