Abstract
BackgroundCynodon dactylon, a valuable medicinal plant, is widely used in Iranian folk medicine for the treatment of various cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure and atherosclerosis. Moreover, its anti-diabetic, anti-cancer and anti-microbial properties have been also reported. Concerning the critical role of angiogenesis in the incidence and progression of tumors and also its protective role in cardiovascular diseases, we investigated the effects of the aqueous extract prepared from the rhizomes of C. dactylon on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expressions in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs) and also on angiogenesis in carrageenan induced air-pouch model in rats.MethodsIn the air-pouch model, carrageenan was injected into an air-pouch on the back of the rats and following an IV injection of carmine red dye on day 6, granulation tissue was processed for the assessment of the dye content. Furthermore, in an in vitro study, angiogenic property of the extract was assessed through its effect on VEGF expression in HUVECs.ResultsOral administration of 400 mg/kg/day of the extract significantly increased angiogenesis (p < 0.05) and markedly decreased neutrophil (p < 0.05) and total leukocyte infiltration (p < 0.001) into the granulation tissues. Moreover, the extract increased the expression of total VEGF in HUVECs at a concentration of (100 μl/ml).ConclusionThe present study showed that the aqueous extract of C. dactylon promotes angiogenesis probably through stimulating VEGF expression.
Highlights
Cynodon dactylon, a valuable medicinal plant, is widely used in Iranian folk medicine for the treatment of various cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure and atherosclerosis
Phytochemical analysis Phytochemical compounds such as alkaloids, anthocyanins, coumarins, flavonoids, saponins, tannins and phenolic compounds were screened in the C. dactylon aqueous extract
The results demonstrated that the constituents present in the aquatic extract of the plant have the potential to increase angiogenesis probably through up-regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-gene expression
Summary
A valuable medicinal plant, is widely used in Iranian folk medicine for the treatment of various cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure and atherosclerosis. In North West of Iran, C. dactylon is known as “Chayer” and the aqueous extract of its rhizomes is widely used in the treatment of cardiovascular disorders such as atherosclerosis and heart failure due to its hypolipidemic and cardiac tonic effects [2,3]. Despite the presence of several reports on the anti-diabetic, anti-microbial [4], hypolipidemic [5], hepatoprotective [6], anti-emetic and anti-inflammatory [7] properties of C. dactylon, the probable role of angiogenesis as the mechanism involved in cardioprotective effect of the plant has remained largely elusive. Since the therapeutic interference with angiogenesis offers a valuable tool for clinical application in several pathological conditions, much attention has been paid on medications or compounds that alter the gene expression profile of vascular endothelial cell growth
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