Antioxidant effect of imperatorin from Angelica dahurica in hypertension via inhibiting NADPH oxidase activation and MAPK pathway.

Imperatorin (IMP) is an active furocoumarin in the traditional Chinese medicine Angelica dahurica and has been demonstrated to have vasodilatory activity. In the present study, we investigated the effect of IMP on blood pressure (BP) and antioxidant effects in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and human embryonic kidney 293 cells. SHR were administered IMP (6.25, 12.5, and 25 mg/kg/d) or tempol (18 mg/kg/d) daily by gavage for 12 weeks. Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, proteinuria levels, and superoxide dismutase activity were evaluated with commercial kits. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase subunits of the renal cortical tissues were determined by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. Twenty-four hour urinary 8-Iso-prostaglandin F2α was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Systolic BP and diastolic BP were significantly reduced by treatment with IMP (6.25, 12.5, and 25 mg/kg/d) in SHR. Meanwhile, we found that renal cortical superoxide dismutase activities were significantly increased in IMP-treated groups. Renal cortical and urinary thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances' levels, the 24-hour urinary excretion of 8-Iso-prostaglandin F2α, and proteinuria in the IMP-treated group, were lower than SHR group. After that, we found the messenger RNA expressions and protein levels of NADPH oxidase subunits were markedly reduced after IMP treated in SHR. IMP also reduced the phosphorylation of protein kinase B, extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and c-Jun N-terminal kinase in renal cortical in SHR. In addition, H2O2-induced ROS production in human embryonic kidney 293 cells was markedly attenuated by IMP. H2O2-induced activation of MAPK, protein kinase B, and expression of NADPH oxidase were also attenuated by pretreatment of IMP. In summary, IMP showed antihypertensive effect via prevention of renal injury not only by reducing NADPH oxidase but also by inhibiting of MAPK pathway.