YiQiFuMai injection for chronic heart failure: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

Puerarin inhibits apoptosis and inflammation in myocardial cells via PPARα expression in rats with chronic heart failure

Chronic heart failure affects myocardial energy metabolism and cardiac function. Puerarin has been reported to improve cardiac function through regulation of energy metabolism in mice with myocardial infarction. The aim of the current study was to determine whether puerarin can improve body weight and reduce inflammation and apoptosis in rats with chronic heart failure. Rats were divided into three groups: Puerarin, PBS and sham group. Transverse aortic constriction was performed to induce chronic heart failure in the puerarin an PBS groups. Cardiac function, apoptosis and inflammation were evaluated following a 4-week treatment in rats with chronic heart failure. The results demonstrated that puerarin significantly increased the survival rate of rats and improved cardiac function compared with the PBS group. In addition, puerarin decreased lactate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase activity compared with the PBS group. Puerarin treatment increased the expression levels of glucose transporter type 4 and decreased the expression levels of CD36. Additionally, puerarin decreased the levels inflammatory factors, including tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 in serum and myocardial tissue compared with the PBS group. Puerarin upregulated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) and its downstream target genes nuclear respiratory factor 1, FOS proto-oncogene, YY1 transcription factor, acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase a, Fas cell surface death receptor, L-type pyruvate kinase and acetyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase medium chain in myocardial cells from rats with chronic heart failure. These results demonstrated that puerarin inhibited apoptosis and inflammation in myocardial cells via the PPARα pathway. In conclusion, the present study indicated that puerarin may exhibit antiapoptotic and anti-inflammatory activity through the PPARα pathway in rats with chronic heart failure.

Zhenwu decoction for chronic heart failure: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Chronic heart failure (CHF), not only a severe personal healthy problem but also a social financial burden, has become a global health concern. Zhenwu decoction (ZWD) has been widely adopted to clinical practice for patients with CHF. It is necessary to update the researches to reevaluate the efficacy and safety of ZWD to provide the up-to-date evidence for CHF management. Therefore, we provide a protocol of systematic review regarding ZWD for CHF.

METHODS

The aim of this study was to retrieve papers on the topic of ZWD treatment for CHF in the electrical databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Chinese Biomedical database (CBM), Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang database, and Chinese Science and Technology Periodical database (VIP). The included literatures are those delivered from the time when the databases were established to May 2018. The therapeutic effects based on the mortality and the New York Heart Association (NYHA) function classification will be marked as the primary outcomes. We will use RevMan V.5.3 software to calculate the data synthesis as well as to perform meta-analysis if the results are appropriate.

RESULTS

The literature will provide a high-quality synthesis of current evidence of ZWD for CHF from various comprehensive assessment, including mortality, NYHA function classification, left ventricular ejection fraction, 6-minute walk test (6MWT), life quality, and adverse events.

CONCLUSION

The systematic review will provide up-to-date evidence to assess ZWD treatment effect for patient with CHF.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

PROSPERO CRD42018083813.