Oral sophocarpine protects rat heart against pressure overload-induced cardiac fibrosis

Figures & data

Figure 1. Structural formula of sophocarpine.

Table 1. Effects of sophocarpine on hemodynamics and cardiac coefficient.

Treatment (mg/kg)	n	The ventricular weight/body weight	LVSP (mm Hg)	LVEDP (mmHg)
Sham	9	0.28 ± 0.09	154.88 ± 17.25	4.56 ± 0.56
Model	11	0.59 ± 0.11^##	97.44 ± 9.98^##	8.96 ± 1.48^##
Sophocarpine (10)	9	0.62 ± 0.12	101.25 ± 12.67	8.68 ± 1.48
Sophocarpine (20)	9	0.44 ± 0.13*	117.00 ± 15.52**	7.47 ± 1.08*
Sophocarpine (40)	10	0.36 ± 0.10**	139.78 ± 25.46**	6.42 ± 1.04**

Values are expressed as the mean ± SD. Significance was determined by ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test. ##p < 0.01 compared with the sham group. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01 compared with the model group.

Figure 2. Effects of sophocarpine on the levels of plasma pro-inflammatory cytokines. Values are expressed as the mean ± SD, n = 9–11 animals. Significance was determined by ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test. ^##p < 0.01 compared with the sham group; *p < 0.05 and **p < 0.01 compared with the model group.

Figure 3. Effects of sophocarpine on collagen content level. Values are expressed as the mean ± SD, n = 9–11 animals. Significance was determined by ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test. ##p < 0.01 compared with the sham group; *p < 0.05 and **p < 0.01 compared with the model group.

Figure 4. Effect of sophocarpine on cardiac fibrosis (Masson’s trichrome staining, × 200): (A) sham-operated rats (n = 9), (B) model rats (n = 11), (C) rats treated with sophocarpine 10 mg/kg (n = 9), (D) rats treated with sophocarpine 20 mg/kg (n = 9), and (E) rats treated with sophocarpine 40 mg/kg (n = 10).

Figure 5. Effects of sophocarpine on MMP-2 and MMP-9 contents. Values are expressed as the mean ± SD, n = 9–11 animals. Significance was determined by ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test. ##p < 0.01 compared with the sham group; *p < 0.05 and **p < 0.01 compared with the model group.

Figure 6. Effects of sophocarpine on p-IKBα expression. Western blot analysis of p-IKBα expression. Values are reported as the mean ± SD. Significance was determined by ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test. ##p < 0.01 compared with the sham group; **p < 0.01 compared with the model group.