The combination of Korean Sajabal mugwort (Artemisia princeps Pampanini) and green tea (Camellia sinensis) extracts and that of their major constituents improved blood flow in vitro and in vivo

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Korean Sajabal mugwort extract (SME), green tea extract (GTE), and their optimized combination on improving blood flow. We first found that SME and GTE significantly suppressed TNF-α-induced ICAM-1 expression and enhanced endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activation in EA.hy926 endothelial cells. Based on synergistic effects on regulation of IκBα, the mixture of SME and GTE at 9:1 ratio was determined as the optimal combination, and it also suppressed integrin LFA-1 expression, reducing leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions. The major components of SME (eupatilin and jaceosidin) and GTE (EGCG) were quantified, and their effects were consistent with the extracts. Furthermore, the mixture alleviated pulmonary vein occlusion, and decreased mRNA levels of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, P-selectin, and E-selectin in aortic tissue in collagen/epinephrine-induced thrombosis rat model. Taken together, the SME and GTE mixture effectively improved blow flow and may be a potent agent for preventing thrombosis and atherosclerosis.