The protective effect and potential mechanism of Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim. on atherosclerosis

The pericarp of Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim. (ZBM) is an edible spice with medicinal value, and it has anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory, and cardiovascular protective effects. This study investigated the therapeutic effect of ZBM on atherosclerosis (AS) and its potential mechanisms. An in vivo experimental model of AS was established on apolipoprotein-E deficient (ApoE^-/-) mice to evaluate the efficacy of ZBM. Serum metabolomics combined with the vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation model were subsequently conducted to analyze the mechanisms. Results showed that ZBM effectively alleviated blood lipid disorders, aortic lipid accumulation, and intimal thickness in mice. Metabolomics indicated that ZBM mainly regulated 5 major metabolic pathways, including TCA cycle, steroid hormone biosynthesis, sphingolipid metabolism, glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, which affected lipid metabolism and cell proliferation. Further experiments showed that ZBM inhibited VSMC proliferation likely because it blocked the signal transducer activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation and activated nuclear factor E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) pathway, resulting in G0/G1 phase arrest and reactive oxygen species (ROS) clearance.