Gynura procumbens ethanol extract improves vascular dysfunction by suppressing inflammation in postmenopausal rats fed a high-fat diet

Figures & data

Figure 1. Effects of Gynura procumbens extracts on systolic blood pressure of sham and postmenopausal (PM) groups at 0, 3 and 6 months of supplementation. Data are means ± SEM. aIndicates a significant difference compared to control (p < 0.05), bIndicates a significant difference compared to PM group (p < 0.05) and c indicates a significant difference compared PM + 250GP (p < 0.05).

Figure 2. Photomicrograph showing the section of aortic tissues in (A) Control; (B) 250GP; (C) 500GP; (D) ATV; (E) postmenopausal (PM); (F) PM + 250GP; (G) PM + 500GP and (H) PM + ATV after 6 months of supplementation where TI: tunica intima, TM: tunica media, TA: tunica adventitia and L: lumen under Verhoeff-Van Gieson stain. (LM × 40).

Table 1. Aortic morphometric measurements of tunica intima (TI), tunica media (TM) and intima-media thickness (IMT) in sham and postmenopausal rats.

Group	TI (µM)	TM (µM)	IMT (µM)
Control	3.22 ± 0.19	50.03 ± 2.52	53.25 ± 3.2
250GP	3.83 ± 0.29	54.4 ± 3.10	58.23 ± 3.5
500GP	3.56 ± 0.27	51.7 ± 1.99	55.26 ± 2.31
ATV	3.37 ± 0.24	57.3 ± 5.07	60.67 ± 5.2
PM	4.98 ± 0.39	^a143.8 ± 2.65	^a148.78 ± 3.31
PM + 250GP	4.08 ± 0.31	^b97.2 ± 3.44	^b101.28 ± 3.4
PM + 500GP	4.11 ± 0.32	^b89.8 ± 2.84	^bc93.91 ± 2.93
PM + ATV	4.78 ± 0.35	101.7 ± 2.21	^c106.48 ± 2.71

Data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation. ^aIndicates a significant difference compared to control (p < 0.05), ^bIndicates a significant difference compared to PM (p < 0.05) and ^cIndicates a significant difference compared to PM + 250GP.

Figure 3. (A) Effects of Gynura procumbens extracts on aorta relaxation response induced by Ach in sham groups after 6 months of supplementation. Data are means ± SEM. aIndicates a significant difference compared to control (p < 0.05) and bIndicates a significant difference compared to PM group (p < 0.05). (B) Effects of Gynura procumbens extracts on aorta relaxation response induced by Ach in postmenopausal groups after 6 months of supplementation. Data are means ± SEM. aIndicates a significant difference compared to control (p < 0.05) and bIndicates a significant difference compared to PM group (p < 0.05). (C) Effects of Gynura procumbens extracts on aorta relaxation response induced by SNP in sham groups after 6 months of supplementation. Data are means ± SEM. aIndicates a significant difference compared to control (p < 0.05) and bIndicates a significant difference compared to PM group (p < 0.05). (D) Effects of Gynura procumbens extracts on aorta relaxation response induced by SNP in postmenopausal groups after 6 months of supplementation. Data are means ± SEM. aIndicates a significant difference compared to control (p < 0.05) and bIndicates a significant difference compared to PM group (p < 0.05). (E) Effects of Gynura procumbens extracts on aorta constriction response induced by PE in sham groups after 6 months of supplementation. Data are means ± SEM. aIndicates a significant difference compared to control (p < 0.05) and bIndicates a significant difference compared to PM group (p < 0.05). ( F) Effects of Gynura procumbens extracts on aorta constriction response induced by PE in postmenopausal groups after 6 months of supplementation. Data are means ± SEM. aIndicates a significant difference compared to control (p < 0.05) and bIndicates a significant difference compared to PM group (p < 0.05).

Figure 4. Effects of Gynura procumbens extracts on nitric oxide level in sham and postmenopausal (PM) groups at 0, 3 and 6 months of supplementation. Data are means ± SEM. aIndicates a significant difference compared to control in month 3 (p < 0.05) and bIndicates a significant difference compared to control in month 6 (p < 0.05), cIndicates a significant difference compared to PM in month 3 (p < 0.05) and dIndicates a significant difference compared to PM in month 6 (p < 0.05).

Figure 5. (A) Effects of Gynura procumbens extracts on IL-6 level in sham and postmenopausal groups at 0, 3 and 6 months of supplementation. Data are means ± SEM. aIndicates a significant difference compared to control (p < 0.05) and bIndicates a significant difference compared to PM group (p < 0.05), cIndicates a significant difference compared to PM + 250GP (p < 0.05). (B) Effects of Gynura procumbens extracts on TNF-alpha level in sham and postmenopausal groups at 0, 3 and 6 months of supplementation. Data are means ± SEM. aIndicates a significant difference compared to control (p < 0.05) and bIndicates a significant difference compared to PM group (p < 0.05), cIndicates a significant difference compared to PM + 250GP (p < 0.05). (C) Effects of Gynura procumbens extracts on CRP level in sham and postmenopausal groups at 0, 3 and 6 months of supplementation. Data are means ± SEM. aIndicates a significant difference compared to control (p < 0.05) and bIndicates a significant difference compared to PM group (p < 0.05), cIndicates a significant difference compared to PM + 250GP (p < 0.05).

Figure 6. (A) Effects of Gynura procumbens extracts on sVCAM-1 level in sham and postmenopausal groups at 6 months of supplementation. Data are means ± SEM. aIndicates a significant difference compared to control (p < 0.05) and bIndicates a significant difference compared to PM group (p < 0.05), cIndicates a significant difference compared to PM + 250GP (p < 0.05). (B) Effects of Gynura procumbens extracts on sICAM-1 level in sham and postmenopausal groups at 6 months of supplementation. Data are means ± SEM. aIndicates a significant difference compared to control (p < 0.05) and bIndicates a significant difference compared to PM group (p < 0.05), cIndicates a significant difference compared to PM + 250GP (p < 0.05).

Table 2. Effects of Gynura procumbens extract and atorvastation (ATV) supplementation on liver functions test in sham and postmenopausal (PM) groups at 0 and 6 months of study.

Biochemical parameters	Reference range (Suckow et al. 2006)	Groups
		Control		250GP		500GP		ATV		PM		PM + 250GP		PM + 500GP		PM + ATV
		0	6	0	6	0	6	0	6	0	6	0	6	0	6	0	6
Total protein	45–84 (g/L)	46	63	44	62	45	57	45	66	45	89	44	72	44	65	45	78
Albumin	40–48 (g/L)	43	44	43	47	43	46	43	44	43	51	43	40	44	40	44	43
Globulin	12–20 (g/dL)	12	15	12	16	12	15	12	17	12	27	12	17	12	14	12	15
Bilirubin	1.2–2.0 (mg/dL)	1.3	1.4	1.3	1.5	1.2	1.4	1.2	1.5	1.3	2.4	1.2	1.6	1.2	1.3	1.2	1.4
Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)	132–312 (U/L)	134	133	133	143	134	139	133	200	133	314	133	204	133	200	133	205
Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)	77–157 (U/L)	78	88	74	79	78	80	78	81	78	163	78	127	79	121	78	130
Alanine aminotransferase (ALT)	22–224 (U/L)	95	127	99	120	94	115	95	124	125	236	96	205	94	199	95	211

Suckow BL, Suckow MA. 2006. Life span extension by the antioxidant curcumin in Drosophila melanogaster. Int J Biomed Sci. 2(4):402–405.

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Data availability statement

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation to any qualified researcher.