Abstract Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a group of diseases with an increase of pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) and pulmonary vascular resistance. Here, the effects of safflower injection, a preparation of Chinese herbs, was investigated in a monocrotaline (MCT)-induced PAH rat model. PAP, carotid artery pressure (CAP), and the right ventricular hypertrophy index (RVHI) increased in the PAH group, while safflower injection was able to inhibit this increase to similar levels as observed in the normal group. The arteriole wall of the lungs and cardiac muscle were thickened and edema was observed in the PAH group, while these pathologies were improved in the herb-treated group in a dose-dependent manner. MCT treatment induced proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs), which was inhibited by safflower injection in a dose-dependent manner. Our experimental results demonstrated that safflower injection can regulate pulmonary arterial remodeling through affecting the expression of connective tissue growth factor, transforming growth factor-β, integrin, collagen or fibronectin, which subsequently affected the thicknesses of the arteriole walls of the lungs and cardiac muscle, and thereby benefits the control of PAH. This means safflower injection improved the abnormalities in PAP, CAP and RVHI, and pulmonary arterial remodeling through regulation of remodeling factors.

中文翻译：

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红花注射液抑制野百合碱诱导的肺动脉高压大鼠模型中的肺动脉重塑

摘要 肺动脉高压（PAH）是一组以肺动脉压力（PAP）和肺血管阻力增加为特征的疾病。在这里，红花注射液，一种中药制剂，在野百合碱 (MCT) 诱导的 PAH 大鼠模型中进行了研究。PAH 组的 PAP、颈动脉压 (CAP) 和右心室肥厚指数 (RVHI) 增加，而红花注射液能够将这种增加抑制到与正常组相似的水平。PAH组肺和心肌的小动脉壁增厚和水肿，而草药治疗组的这些病理以剂量依赖性方式得到改善。MCT治疗诱导肺动脉平滑肌细胞（PASMCs）增殖，以剂量依赖性方式被红花注射抑制。我们的实验结果表明，红花注射液可以通过影响结缔组织生长因子、转化生长因子-β、整合素、胶原蛋白或纤连蛋白的表达来调节肺动脉重塑，进而影响肺和心肌小动脉壁的厚度，从而有利于 PAH 的控制。这意味着红花注射液通过调节重塑因子改善了 PAP、CAP 和 RVHI 的异常以及肺动脉重塑。胶原蛋白或纤连蛋白，随后影响肺和心肌小动脉壁的厚度，从而有利于控制 PAH。这意味着红花注射液通过调节重塑因子改善了 PAP、CAP 和 RVHI 的异常以及肺动脉重塑。胶原蛋白或纤连蛋白，随后影响肺和心肌小动脉壁的厚度，从而有利于控制 PAH。这意味着红花注射液通过调节重塑因子改善了 PAP、CAP 和 RVHI 的异常以及肺动脉重塑。