The Effects of Luteolin on Inflammatory Factors and Cardiac Function in Atherosclerotic Mice

Abstract Background Atherosclerosis (AS) is a type of chronic progressive vascular disease involving multiple factors such as lipid deposition, chronic inflammatory response, and vascular remodeling. It is the main pathological basis of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events, including coronary artery disease, stroke, and peripheral artery disease, and poses a serious threat to global public health security. The complexity, multi-mechanism nature and interconnection with other diseases of cardiovascular diseases inevitably lead to the difficulty in their treatment. Currently, the drugs used in clinical practice for treating cardiovascular diseases cannot meet the treatment needs. Seeking a new type of cardiovascular protection drug that is efficient, economical, low-toxic, without side effects or with minimal side effects has become the current research focus. Luteolin has preventive and therapeutic effects on various cardiovascular diseases, making its application in clinical prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases possible. Purpose To investigate the effects of luteolin on inflammatory factors and cardiac function in AS mice. Methods Twenty-four 8-week-old ApoE-/- mice were randomly divided into 3 groups: the model group, the low-dose luteolin (LDL) group (70 mg/kg/d), and the high-dose luteolin (HDL) group (140 mg/kg/d), with 8 mice in each group. Eight mice of the same age from the C57BL/6J strain served as control group. All groups except the control group were fed with high-fat and high-cholesterol diet and received corresponding interventions. The levels of inflammatory factors in the serum of mice in each group were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and short-axis shortening rate (LVFS) of mice were evaluated through cardiac ultrasound. Results The serum levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in the model group were increased versus control group. The serum levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in the luteolin group were lower than those in the model group, while the serum levels of IL-1β and TNF-α were decreased in HDL group versus LDL group. LVEF and LVFS of the mice in the model group were decreased versus control group. LVEF and LVFS of the mice in the LDL and HDL groups were increased compared with the model group, and LVEF and LVFS were increased in HDL group versus LDL group. Conclusions Luteolin may exert an anti-atherosclerotic effect by improving the serum inflammation and cardiac function of AS mice. Luteolin may be a potential drug for preventing the occurrence of AS, but its clinical application still requires further research.