Background: Yunpi-Huoxue-Sanjie (YP-SJ) formula is a Chinese herbal formula with unique advantages for the treatment of diabetic cardiovascular complications, such as diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). The aim of this study was to investigate the role of YP-SJ formula in regulating myocardial autophagy. To determine whether YP-SJ formula can be used as an adjuvant therapy for DCM, its therapeutic effects and mechanism in myocardial injury caused by type 2 diabetic mellitus (T2DM) rats were determined.
Methods: A high-fat diet combined with low-dose streptozotocin (STZ) injection was used to induce DCM in rats. Biochemical reagents were used to analyze blood glucose levels, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay determined insulin levels, echocardiography assessed cardiac structure and function, histopathology was used to detect myocardial inflammation and fibrosis, myocardial autophagosomes were observed by transmission electron microscopy, and quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot analyses were used to detect the expression levels of autophagy-related proteins.
Results: After treatment with YP-SJ formula, DCM rats’ metabolism was abnormal and myocardial inflammation, fibrosis, and cardiac dysfunction were significantly improved. In addition, compared with DCM, YP-SJ formula significantly increased the number of autophagosomes, the expression of forkhead box protein O1 (FoxO1) and autophagy related 12 (Atg12) ; the expression of phosphorylated FoxO1 and p62 was significantly decreased, and the level of myocardial autophagy was increased.
Conclusions: YP-SJ formula can alleviate the myocardial damage caused by T2DM, and thus may serve as an alternative treatment for DCM.