Effect of Astragalus Membranaceus on Ca~(2+) Influx and CVB3 RNA Replication in Cultured Neonatal Rat Heart Cells Infected with CVB3

摘要

Here was investigated the effect of Radix Astragalus Membranaceus (AM) on Ca~(2+) influx across the myocardial plasma membrane and coxsackie virus B3(CVB3)-RNA replication in cultured neonatal rat heart cells infected with CVB3. It was found that the Ca~(2+) influx could be inhibited significantly by AM both in heart cells infected with CVB3 for 48 hours and in normal control heart cells. In addition, the Ca~(2+) influx and the amounts of CVB3-RNA in myocytes simultaneously infected with CVB3 and treated with AM for 48 hours were statistically decreased compared with that in CVB3-infected control cells. These phenomena suggested that AM could exert the effects of decreasing the secondary Ca~(2+) damages, improving the abnormal myocardial electric activity and inhibiting replication of CVB3-RNA in myocardium. Thus, it is a rational choice to treat patients with AM in viral myocarditis.