Aqueous extract of Salvia miltiorrhoza regulates adhesion molecule expression of tumor necrosis factor α-induced endothelial cells by blocking activation of nuclear factor κB

Salvia miltiorrhoza Bunge is a traditional herb medicine often used in China for the treatment of cardiovascular disorders, such as atherosclerosis. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of aqueous extract of Salvia miltiorrhoza Bunge (ESM) on expression of adhesion molecules in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)alpha-induced endothelial cells. When preincubated with ESM (100, 200, 400 mu g/mL) for IS hours, the adhesion of HL-60 cells to TNF alpha-induced endothelial cells was significantly decreased in a concentration-dependent manner, and down-regulation of adhesion molecules, intracellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), was also observed. The inhibitory effect of ESM on TNFa-induced VCAM-I expression was attenuated by inhibition of intracellular glutathione (GSH) synthesis. In addition, ESM also significantly inhibited TNFa-induced translocation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B) from cytoplasm to nuclei in endothelial cells. These results demonstrated that inhibition of ESM on the expression of adhesion molecules may result from its blocking activation on NF kappa B. It may imply one of the mechanisms by which ESM exerts its beneficial effect preventing the progress of atherosclerosis.