Ping‑Hsun Lua, Sheng‑Fen Tungb, Chi‑Chung Wenc, Ching‑Yuan Huangb, Jhih‑Wei Huangb, Chih‑Hsin Chenb, Yau-Hung Chenb*
aDepartment of Chinese Medicine, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, New Taipei, Taiwan, bDepartment of Chemistry, Tamkang University, New Taipei, Taiwan, cDepartment of Mathematics, Tamkang University, New Taipei, Taiwan
Open Access funded by Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation
Abstract
Objectives: Guo Min decoction (GMD) is a Chinese traditional medicine that can regulate allergy‑related symptoms. Although GMD treatment was reported to treat allergy‑associated symptoms by regulating the immune response, the rationale between GMD treatment and angiogenesis has not been reported yet. Our objective is to investigate the angiogenesis‑modulating activity of GMD. Materials and Methods: In this study, we used fluorescence recording, alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity staining, and real‑time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) experiments to examine the effects of GMD on angiogenesis in a zebrafish model. Results: GMD‑treated zebrafish embryos exhibited
more intercapillary spaces in the caudal vein plexus (Mock: 11.1 ± 1.8 [n = 20; n: numbers of embryos]; GMD‑treated: 16.2 ± 1.9 [n = 20]). AP activity staining showed that treatment with GMD and liquorice (Gan Cao, a component of GMD) induced subintestinal vein outgrowth. However, glycyrrhizin (a component of Gan Cao) had no obvious pro‑angiogenic effects on zebrafish. Furthermore, real‑time PCR experiments indicated that GMD exposure might be through regulating angiogenesis‑related genes (cdh5, nrp1a, and flt1) expressions. Conclusion: Based on these observations, we proposed that GMD had pro‑angiogenic activity in a zebrafish model, and it might partially be contributed by one of the components, liquorice.
Keywords: Angiogenesis, Guo Min decoction, Real‑time polymerase chain reaction, Zebrafish
