Puerarin protects high glucose-induced injury of vascular relaxation by activation of heme oxygenase-1

AIM:To investigate the effect of puerarin on acute high glucose-induced attenuation of ACh relaxation in isolated rat aortic rings, and to elucidate its underlying mechanism. METHODS: The thoracic aortic rings with endothelium of male Sprague-Dawley rats were mounted on a bath system. Isometric relaxation of aortic rings was measured. RESULTS: ① After incubation with high concentration of glucose (44 mmol/L), the vascular relaxation responses to ACh decreased. ② After coincubation with puerarin (10-10-10-8 mol/L) and high glucose, the high glucose-induced attenuation of ACh relaxation responses of artery was partly inhibited in a dose-dependent manner. ③ After incubation with puerarin for 2 h, the HO-1 activity of thoracic aorta increased. ZnPPIX (an inhibitor of heme oxygenase-1) abrogated the protective effect of puerarin. CONCLUSION: Puerarin prevents the acute high glucose-induced attenuation of endothelium-dependent relaxation in aortic rings. The mechanism might be involved in the activation of heme oxygenase-1.