African Journal of
Biotechnology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Biotechnol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1684-5315
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJB
  • Start Year: 2002
  • Published Articles: 12502

Full Length Research Paper

Effects of fistular onion stalk extract on the level of NO and expression of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) in human umbilical vein endothelium cells

  Zhang Jiemei1#, Hao Jianjun1#, Guo Jie1#, He Benhong3 and Huang Hao2*  
  1The Unode Research Institute of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan No.1 Hospital, Wuhan 430022, People’s Republic of China. 2Center of Experimental Medicine, Wuhan No.1 Hospital, Wuhan 430022, People’s Republic of China. 3Lichuan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lichuan 445418, People’s Republic of China.
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 13 January 2011
  •  Published: 28 March 2011

Abstract

 

The stalk of Allium schoenoprasum L (fistular onion stalk) has been used in traditional Chinese medicine. In this study, we investigated the effects of fistular onion stalk extracts on nitric oxide (NO) production and endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) expression in cultured human umbilical vein endothelium cells (HUVECs). We found that the extracts of fistular onion stalk significantly increased the level of NO and the activity of eNOS. Our findings demonstrated that fistular onion stalk extracts could be a good candidate for new drugs to treat cardiovascular diseases by enhancing endothelial production of NO. 

 

Key word: Allium schoenoprasum L, endothelium cells, nitric oxide, nitric oxide synthase.

Abbreviation

NO, Nitric oxide; NOS, nitric oxide synthase; HUVECs, human umbilical vein endothelium cells; eNOS, endothelial NO synthase.