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Planta Med 2013; 79(09): 731-736
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1328551
Biological and Pharmacological Activity
Original Papers
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Icariin Attenuates the Enhanced Prothrombotic State in Atherosclerotic Rabbits Independently of Its Lipid-Lowering Effects

Wei-ping Zhang
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Xiʼan Jiaotong University, Shaanxi, China
,
Xiao-jun Bai
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Xiʼan Jiaotong University, Shaanxi, China
,
Xiao-pu Zheng
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Xiʼan Jiaotong University, Shaanxi, China
,
Xiao-lu Xie
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Xiʼan Jiaotong University, Shaanxi, China
,
Zu-yi Yuan
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Xiʼan Jiaotong University, Shaanxi, China
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 15 August 2012
revised 21 March 2013

accepted 28 March 2013

Publication Date:
22 May 2013 (online)

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Abstract

Icariin is a major active component isolated from the traditional Chinese herb Epimedium brevicornum, with a wide range of pharmacological and biological activities. In this paper, we investigated the effects of icariin on hyperlipidemia, and further evaluated whether icariin could improve unfavorable hemorheological parameters, attenuate platelet activation and facilitate the balance between plasmic plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and tissue-type plasminogen activator activities in rabbits fed a high-cholesterol diet. Icariin reduced the levels of serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, as well as the atherosclerotic burden. In addition, this compound has been found to improve the imbalance between plasmic plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and tissue-type plasminogen activator activities, reduce platelet adhesiveness and aggregation and modulate unfavorable hemorheological variables in hypercholesterolemia. In conclusion, icariin has lipid-lowering effects and may be used in the treatment and prevention of thrombosis in the atherosclerotic process.

Key words

icariin - lipid-lowering effect - prothrombotic state - atherosclerosis - Epimedium brevicornum - Berberidaceae
 

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