Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 30, 2025

Ascending Aortic Constriction in Rats for Creation of Pressure Overload Cardiac Hypertrophy Model
Published on: June 29, 2014
QiShenYiQi Pill Improves Myocardial Hypertrophy Caused by Pressure Overload in Rats
Shichao Lv1,2, Qiang Wang1, Meifang Wu1
1The First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 300193, China.
Insights
QiShenYiQi pill (QSYQ) effectively treats pressure-overloaded myocardial hypertrophy in rats. This cardiovascular disease treatment works by regulating TGF-β1 and CTGF pathways, offering new insights into QSYQ
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Research
- Pharmacology
- Integrative Medicine
Background:
- Pressure-overloaded myocardial hypertrophy is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), including heart failure and arrhythmia.
- QiShenYiQi pill (QSYQ) is a traditional Chinese medicine used for CVDs, but its mechanism in treating myocardial hypertrophy remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the therapeutic effect and underlying mechanism of QSYQ on pressure-overloaded myocardial hypertrophy in a rat model.
- To explore the role of TGF-β1 and CTGF in QSYQ's cardioprotective effects.
Main Methods:
- A rat model of myocardial hypertrophy was induced by abdominal aortic constriction.
- Rats were treated with QSYQ, valsartan (positive control), or vehicle.
- Cardiac morphology, collagen content, and expression of key molecular markers (ANP, β-MHC, TGF-β1, CTGF) were assessed at 4 and 8 weeks.
Main Results:
- QSYQ treatment significantly improved cardiac morphology and reduced myocardial hypertrophy in pressure-overloaded rats.
- QSYQ administration modulated the expression of collagen types I and III and reduced collagen volume fraction.
- The expression levels of TGF-β1 and CTGF were significantly altered by QSYQ treatment, suggesting their involvement in the therapeutic effect.
Conclusions:
- QSYQ demonstrates significant efficacy in ameliorating pressure-overloaded myocardial hypertrophy in rats.
- The cardioprotective mechanism of QSYQ is associated with the regulation of TGF-β1 and CTGF signaling pathways.
- These findings support the potential of QSYQ as a therapeutic agent for cardiovascular diseases involving myocardial hypertrophy.
Abstract:
Pressure-overloaded myocardial hypertrophy is an independent risk factor for various cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), such as heart failure (HF), arrhythmia, and even sudden death. It is reported that QiShenYiQi pill (QSYQ) is widely used in the treatment of CVDs and can prevent pathological hypertrophy of myocardium, but its specific mechanism is still unclear. In this study, a rat model of myocardial hypertrophy was established through the pressure overload caused by abdominal aortic constriction in Wistar rats. The rats were randomly divided into model group, valsartan group, and QSYQ group, and sham-operated animals served as the control group. At the 4 and 8 weeks of intervention, the general morphology of the heart, myocardial collagen content, collagen volume factor (CVF), collagen type I, collagen type III, myocardial pathological changes, and the expression of ANP, β-MHC, TGF-β1, and CTGF were analyzed, respectively, in order to explore the possible effect of QSYQ on the mechanism of myocardial hypertrophy. We observed that QSYQ could effectively improve myocardial hypertrophy in pressure-overloaded rats, which was related to the regulatory mechanism of TGF-β1 and CTGF.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Cardiomyopathy III: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy V: Interprofessional Care
Myocarditis III: Medical Management

