Abstract
Here was investigated the effect of Radix Astragalus Membranaceus (AM) on Ca2+ influx across the myocardial plasma membrane and coxsackie virus B3(CVB3)-RNA replication in cultured neonatal rat heart cells infected with CVB3. It was found that the Ca2+ influx could be inhibited significantly by AM both in heart cells infected with CVB3 for 48 hours and in normal control heart cells. In addition, the Ca2+ influx and the amounts of CVB3-RNA in myocytes simultaneously infected with CVB3 and treated with AM for 48 hours were statistically decreased compared with that in CVB3-infected control cells. These phenomena suggested that AM could exert the effects of decreasing the secondary Ca2+ damages, improving the abnormal myocardial electric activity and inhibiting replication of CVB3-RNA in myocardium. Thus, it is a rational choice to treat patients with AM in viral myocarditis.
Published Version
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