Effect of Tangbikang on Cytokines in Diabetic Rats

OBJECTIVE To observe the traditional Chinese medicine compound Tangbikang in diabetic rats tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α)， monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP-1)， vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM 1)， blood oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL) and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM - l) expression. METHODS SD rats were fed with high-fat diet， injected with STZ to induce type 2 diabetes， and 16 weeks after intervention with of Tangbikang， abdominal aortic blood and samples of one side of the sciatic nerve of the rats were collected， serum cytokine levels were detected by ELISE method， and expressions of MCP-1，VCAM-1 and TNF-α in sciatic nerve tissues were detected by Western blot. RESULTS Compared with the normal group， the expression of TNF-α， VCAM-1 and MCP-1 in the sciatic nerve tissues of the model group and the content of oxLDL， ICAM-1， VCAM-1， TNF-α and MCP-1 in the serum of the model group were significantly increased (P<0.01). Compared with the model group， Tangbikang significantly reduced the expression of cytokines in tissues and serum (P<0.05，P<0.01) in a dose-dependent way. CONCLUSION Tangbikang can down-regulate the contents of serum TNF-α， oxLDL， ICAM-1，VCAM-1 and MCP-1 in STZ-induced diabetic rats and the expression of VCAM-1， TNF-α and MCP-1 in the sciatic nerve， which may be one of the mechanisms of Tangbikang's neuroprotection in diabetic peripheral neuropathy.