Abstract
Effect of Metformin Combined with Losartan on Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Angiotensin II in Serum of Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats
Department of Cardiology, Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences, Affiliated Zhoupu Hospital, Shanghai, 201318, P.R. China, 1Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200080, P. R. China
Correspondence Address:
Department of Cardiology, Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences, Affiliated Zhoupu Hospital, Shanghai, 201318, P.R. China,
To investigate the effects of metformin combined with losartan on vascular endothelial growth factor and angiotensin II in serum of spontaneously hypertensive rats, 30 spontaneously hypertensive rats were divided into 3 groups according to different treatment methods. The spontaneously hypertensive rats group was administered was without drug intervention. The metformin group was given orally normal saline mixed with metformin tablets. The combination group received the losartan potassium tablets in addition to metformin. The treatment time was 3 w and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and angiotensin II in serum was measured. Rats were sacrificed, the brain tissues were taken, the vascular endothelial growth factor and angiotensin II in the brain tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry and immune blotting expression. Before treatment, the blood pressure of rats in the three groups was similar (p>0.05). Compared to the blood pressure before treatment, the blood pressure of rats in metformin group and combined group decreased significantly (p<0.05). There was no significant change in blood pressure of rats in spontaneously hypertensive rats group. After treatment, the blood pressure level of rats in combined group was lower than that in combined group (p<0.05). The expression of serum vascular endothelial growth factor and angiotensin II in the 3 groups was similar before treatment (p>0.05). After treatment the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and Angiotensin II in metformin group and combination group decreased (p<0.05). After treatment, the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and angiotensin II in metformin group was lower than that in spontaneously hypertensive rats group. The expression of angiotensin II in brain tissue of metformin group was less than that of spontaneously hypertensive rats group (p<0.05), and that of the combined group was less than that of metformin group (p<0.05). Combined use in the treatment of spontaneous hypertension has a good antihypertensive effect, and serum and brain tissue vascular endothelial growth factor and angiotensin II were significantly decreased, improving the condition.
