Objective: To investigate the effect of Triptolide on the development of monocrotaline(MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy in pneumonectomized rat.
Methods: Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into continuous Triptolide therapy group, delayed Triptolide therapy group, two placebo groups, model group and normal group, of which the mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP), right ventricular index (RV/LV+S) were observed or checked. The light microscope, image analysis and immunohistochemistry were used to show percent vascular wall thickness (WT%), the degree of muscularization and vascular occlusion score in pulmonary arteries.
Results: (1) Each index of model group was obviously increased (P < 0.01 vs. common group). (2) The indexes of two therapy groups were attenuated for the pneumonectomized rats that suffered from MCT induced pulmonary hypertension (P < 0.05 vs. model group and placebo group). (3) There was the statistics significance between the two therapy groups in all indexes except for the degree of muscularization (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: For pneumonectomized rats that suffer from the MCT pulmonary hypertension and undergo the pulmonary vascular remodeling, triptolide can slow down pulmonary hypertension, right ventricular bypertrophy and promote the regression of pulmonary arterial neointimal formation before and after forming pulmonary hypertension.