Study on the Liver Protective Effects of Huangqi (Astragalus)-Dangui (Angelica) Pair on Atherosclerotic ApoE-/- Mice

Author：CHEN Yanbin1, LI Ye1,3, JIANG Huanhuan3, LUO Chenxi1,2, FANG Huanle3

Unit：1.Shaanxi Institute of International Trade&Commerce, Xi'an Shaanxi 712046, China; 2.Shaanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xi''an Shaanxi 712046, China; 3.School of Medicine, Xi 'an Peihua University, Xi 'an Shaanxi 710025, China

Quote：引用：陈衍斌，李叶，姜欢欢，罗晨曦，方欢乐.黄芪-当归药对对动脉粥样硬化ApoE-/-小鼠肝脏保护作用的研究[J].中医药导报,2026,32(4):41-47.

DOI：10.13862/j.cn43-1446/r.2026.04.008

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Abstract：

Objective: To investigate the protective effects and mechanisms of Huangqi (astragalus)-Dangui (angelica) pair on the liver of ApoE-/- mice with atherosclerosis (AS). Methods: Totally 50 ApoE-/- mice were randomly divided into a model group, an astragalus-angelica low-dose group, an astragalus-angelica medium-dose group, an astragalus-angelica high-dose group, and a simvastatin group, with 10 mice in each group. Ten C57BL/6 mice were set as the normal group, which was fed with general feed. The remaining ApoE-/- mice in each group were continuously fed with high-fat diet for 8 weeks to establish an atherosclerosis model. All groups began to receive medication after 4 weeks of feeding, and after 4 weeks of continuous medication, the serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were measured using biochemical methods. Oil red O staining was used to observe the pathological changes in liver tissue. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect inflammatory markers interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in the liver tissue of mice. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTTP), and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1) in liver tissue. RT-qPCR was used to detect the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR γ) mRNA, liver X receptor α (LXRα) mRNA, and ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) mRNA in liver tissue.  Results: The serum TG, TC, and LDL-C levels in the model group mice were higher than those in the normal group (P<0.01), while the serum HDL-C level was lower than that in the normal group (P<0.05). The serum TG, TC, and LDL-C levels in the astragalus-angelica medium-dose group, astragalus-angelica high-dose group, and simvastatin group were all lower than those in the model group (P<0.01 or P<0.05). The serum HDL-C levels in the astragalus-angelica high-dose group and simvastatin group were both higher than those in the model group (P<0.01). Oil red O staining showed that the liver tissue structure of normal group mice was normal. The liver tissue structure of model group mice was damaged, with a large number of diffuse orange-red lipid droplets. The orange-red lipid droplets in the liver cells of astragalus-angelica low-dose group and astragalus-angelica medium-dose group mice showed no significant improvement. The liver conditions of astragalus-angelica high-dose group and simvastatin group mice were significantly improved, with a significant reduction in orange-red lipid droplets. The liver tissue SOD and GSH-Px contents in the model group mice were lower than those in the normal group (P<0.01), while the MDA content was higher than that in the normal group (P<0.01). The liver tissue SOD and GSH-Px contents in the astragalus-angelica medium-dose group, astragalus-angelica high-dose group and simvastatin group were all higher than those in the model group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The liver tissue MDA content in the astragalus-angelica high-dose group and simvastatin group was lower than that in the model group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The protein expression levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the liver tissue of model group mice were higher than those in the normal group (P<0.01). The protein expression levels of TNF-α in the liver tissue of astragalus-angelica medium-dose group, astragalus-angelica high-dose group and simvastatin group mice were lower than those in the model group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The protein expression levels of IL-6 in the liver tissue of astragalus-angelica high-dose group and simvastatin group mice were lower than those in the model group (P<0.01). The relative expression levels of AMPK, SREBP-1, and MTTP proteins in the liver tissue of model group mice were higher than those in the normal group (P<0.01). The relative expression levels of AMPK, SREBP-1, and MTTP proteins in the liver tissue of astragalus-angelica medium-dose group, astragalus-angelica high-dose group and simvastatin group were all lower than those in the model group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The relative expression levels of LXRα mRNA, ABCA1 mRNA, and PPARγ mRNA in the liver tissues of model group mice were lower than those in the normal group (P<0.01). The relative expression levels of LXRα mRNA, ABCA1 mRNA, and PPARγ mRNA in the liver tissues of mice in the astragalus-angelica medium-dose group, astragalus-angelica high-dose group, and simvastatin group were all higher than those in the model group (P<0.01). Conclusion: Huangqi (astragalus)-Dangui (angelica) pair can regulate lipid metabolism and improve liver lipid lesions in atherosclerotic ApoE-/- mice, potentially through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory effects, and regulation of the expression levels of MTTP, SREBP1, AMPK proteins, as well as the PPARγ/ LXRα/ABCA1 pathway.

Key words：atherosclerosis; Huangqi (astragalus)-Dangui (angelica); liver; antioxidant; anti-inflammatory; lipid metabolism; mouse

摘要：

目的：研究黄芪-当归药对对动脉粥样硬化（AS）ApoE-/-小鼠的肝脏保护作用及机制。方法：将50只ApoE-/-小鼠随机分为模型组、黄芪-当归低剂量组、黄芪-当归中剂量组、黄芪-当归高剂量组、辛伐他汀组，每组10只。取10只C57BL/6小鼠设为正常组，正常组小鼠采用一般饲料饲养。其余各组ApoE-/-小鼠连续高脂饲料饲养8周建立AS模型，各组均继续饲养4周后开始给药，持续给药4周后采用生化法检测小鼠血清总胆固醇（TC）、甘油三酯（TG）、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇（LDL-C）、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇（HDL-C）；油红O染色观察肝脏组织病理形态学变化；免疫组化检测炎症指标白细胞介素-6（IL-6）、肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）；酶联免疫吸附试验（ELISA）法检测小鼠肝脏组织中超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、丙二醛（MDA）、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（GSH-Px）水平；蛋白质印记（Western blotting）法检测肝脏组织中AMP活化蛋白激酶（AMPK）、微粒体甘油三酸酯转运蛋白（MTTP）、固醇调节元件结合蛋白-1（SREBP-1）表达水平；RT-qPCR法检测肝脏组织过氧化物酶体增殖物激活受体（PPARγ） mRNA、肝X受体α（LXRα） mRNA、ATP结合盒转运蛋白A1（ABCA1） mRNA表达情况。结果：模型组小鼠血清TG、TC及LDL-C水平高于正常组（P<0.01），血清HDL-C水平低于正常组（P<0.05）；黄芪-当归中剂量组、黄芪-当归高剂量组、辛伐他汀组小鼠血清TG、TC及LDL-C水平均低于模型组（P<0.01或P<0.05）；黄芪-当归高剂量组、辛伐他汀组小鼠血清HDL-C水平高于模型组（P<0.01）。油红O染色显示，正常组小鼠肝组织结构正常；模型组小鼠肝组织结构破坏，出现大量弥漫性橙红色脂滴；黄芪-当归低、中剂量组小鼠肝脏细胞内橘红色脂滴改善不明显；黄芪-当归高剂量组和辛伐他汀组小鼠肝脏情况明显改善，橘红色脂滴显著减少。模型组小鼠肝组织SOD、GSH-Px含量低于正常组（P<0.01），MDA含量高于正常组（P<0.01）；黄芪-当归中剂量组、黄芪-当归高剂量组及辛伐他汀组小鼠肝组织SOD、GSH-Px含量均高于模型组（P<0.05或P<0.01）；黄芪-当归高剂量组及辛伐他汀组小鼠肝组织MDA含量低于模型组（P<0.05或P<0.01）。模型组小鼠肝组织IL-6、TNF-α蛋白表达水平高于正常组（P<0.01）；黄芪-当归中剂量组、黄芪-当归高剂量组及辛伐他汀组小鼠肝组织TNF-α蛋白表达水平低于模型组（P<0.05或P<0.01）；黄芪-当归高剂量组及辛伐他汀组小鼠肝组织IL-6蛋白表达水平低于模型组（P<0.01）。模型组小鼠肝组织AMPK、SREBP-1、MTTP蛋白相对表达量高于正常组（P<0.01）；黄芪-当归中剂量组、黄芪-当归高剂量组及辛伐他汀组小鼠肝组织AMPK、SREBP-1、MTTP蛋白相对表达量均低于模型组（P<0.05或P<0.01）。模型组小鼠肝组织LXRα mRNA、ABCA1 mRNA、PPARγ mRNA相对表达量低于正常组（P<0.01）；黄芪-当归中剂量组、黄芪-当归高剂量组及辛伐他汀组小鼠肝组织LXRα mRNA、ABCA1 mRNA、PPARγ mRNA相对表达量均高于模型组（P<0.01）。结论：黄芪-当归药对能调节动脉粥样硬化ApoE-/-小鼠的脂质代谢，改善肝脏脂质病变，机制可能为抗氧化、抗炎、调控MTTP、SREBP1、AMPK蛋白表达水平及PPARγ/LXRα／ABCA1通路。

关键词：动脉粥样硬化；黄芪-当归；肝脏；抗氧化；抗炎；脂质代谢；小鼠

Release time：2026-04-26

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