Objective: To explore the efficacy of the rehmannia root decoction containing serum in enhencing the proliferation of HUVECs-1 and EPO expression and to give libratory evidence for the tonifying blood and kidney therapy with rehmannia root.
Method: Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly devided into 4 group and administrered by gastrogavage rehmannia root decoction of 3, 6, 10 g x kg(-1) once a day for 1 weeks. Using serum pharmacologic method, the proliferation of HUVECs-1 cell was determined by MTT chromatometry at 48 h points by co-culturing with medicated serum containing different concentration of rehmannia root decoction. The expression of EPO on HUVECs-1 were observed by immunity cytochemistry and Western blot. NS serum was taken as control.
Result: After the HUVECs-1 cultivating with medicated serum for 48 h, compared with NS serum, 20% serum containing rehmannia root (6 g x kg(-1)) could obviously increase proliferation of HUVEC-1 (P < 0.05) and increase the level of the expression of EPO on HUVECs-1 (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Rehmannia root extract has good actions of proliferation of HUVECs-1 and increase EPO expression, which is the mechanisms of nourishing yin and blood and tonifying essence of rehmannia root.