BAOXIN Pill was reported to be effective clinically for chronic
heart failure based on the principles of
traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), invigorating qi and activating blood. The present study evaluated preclinically the effects of the improved
dosage form, BAOXIN Granules, on
cardiac hypertrophy. Transverse aortic constriction (TAC) was performed in mice to model
cardiac hypertrophy by
aortic stenosis for 4 weeks. The
sham and TAC group were intragastrically administrated with saline as the controls. Two treatment groups were administrated orally with 10 mg/kg⋅d
Enalapril (positive control) or 0.77 g/kg⋅d BAOXIN Granules for 4 weeks respectively. The effects were evaluated by echocardiography, morphology, and
biological markers for cardiac function. The specific genes involved in
inflammation and
fibrosis were also examined for their expressions to investigate the pathways involved in early
heart failure. Just as
Enalapril, BAOXIN Granules administration markedly attenuated
left ventricular hypertrophy and improved heart function as evidenced by echo cardiography, morphology. Accordingly, the
biomarkers of the early stage
heart failure,
ANP, BNP and β-MHC, were decreased in the two treatment groups. We also found that
mRNA expressions of some inflammatory factors and
fibrosis associated genes were down-regulated in the tissue of heart
after treatment. BAOXIN Granules may protect the heart from myocardial
hypertrophy caused by increasing left ventricular afterload. It can suppress both inflammatory reaction and
collagen deposition during pressure overload. BAOXIN Granules is advised to be tested in clinical trials for
heart failure in the future.