Aqueous extract of the medicinal plant Patrinia villosa Juss. induces angiogenesis via activation of focal adhesion kinase.

Patrinia villosa, a Chinese medicinal herb, is known for its anti-inflammatory effects. In the present study, we tested the pro-angiogenic efficacy of an aqueous extract of Patrinia villosa (PVE) in vitro and in vivo. Treatment with PVE significantly enhanced cell proliferation, migration, and the capillary-like structure forming activity of cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Western blot analysis demonstrated that PVE treatment induced a time-dependent phosphorylation of FAK and Akt in HUVECs. Preincubation with a FAK inhibitor, SC203950, abolished PVE-induced proliferation of HUVECs, indicating a role for FAK in PVE-induced angiogenesis. The proangiogenic activity of PVE was confirmed by an ex vivo mouse aortic ring assay and an in vivo murine hindlimb ischemia model. Further analysis using fractions of PVE partitioned by n-hexane, EtOAc, n-BuOH, and water residue revealed that the EtOAc fraction contains the bioactive components responsible for PVE-induced migration, endothelial cord formation, FAK phosphorylation, and aortic ring sprouting. Our results provide a rationale for the use of PVE in the treatment of peripheral vascular insufficiency; they indicate the need to identify the novel pro-angiogenic chemicals in the fractions of PVE.