Anti vascular inflammatory effect of Samul-tang in HUVECs

Samultang ( , SMT) is a well known herbal prescription treating overall haematological disorders defined as blood deficiency, blood stasis and blood loss in traditional korean medicine. SMT is recorded in several formulary including ‘Treasured Mirror of Eastern Medicine’ ( , Donguibogam) and consists of 4 herbs : Angelicae Radix, Cnidii Rhizmoa, Rhemanniae Radix Preparata and Paeonia Radix. Major cause of atherosclerosis and other vascular diseases is inflammation and vascular endothelium is emphasized as central spot of vascular inflammatory process. Thus, we investigated the effects of SMT water extracts on vascular inflammation in HUVECs (Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells). Expression of CAMs (cell adhesion molecules) such as VCAM‐1 (vascular cell adhesion molecule‐1), ICAM‐1 (intracellular adhesion molecule‐1), E‐selectin (endothelial‐selectin) and HL‐60 monocyte adhesion were induced by TNF‐α stimulation. However, SMT pretreatment (10–50 μg/ml) inhibited CAMs expression and monocyte adhesion significantly. TNF‐α stimulation led HUVECs to produce ROS (reactive oxygen species) and translocate NF‐κB (nuclear factor‐κB) into nucleus, but SMT suppressed ROS production and NF‐κB nuclear localization significantly. Furthermore, activation of NF‐κB was also suppressed by SMT in dose dependent manner. HO‐1 (heme oxygenase‐1) protein level was significantly upregulated by SMT treatment (10–50 μg/ml) as HO‐1 inducer CoPP (cobalt protoporphyrin) did. Besides, nuclear translocation of Nrf‐2 (nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2), which transcripts antioxidative genes including HO‐1, was increased by SMT dose dependently. Intracellular NO (nitric oxide) and nitrite products were also increased by SMT treatment. Taken together, these results suggests that SMT might exerts vascular protective effects by suppressing vascular inflammatory process triggered from damaging stimulus including TNF‐α and by promoting synthesis of beneficial bioactive substances including HO‐1.