Inhibitory effects of ligustilide and butylidenephthalide on bFGF-stimulated proliferation of rat smooth muscle cells

AimTo investigate the bio-affinities of ligustilide and butylidenephthalide to rat aortic smooth muscle cells and the inhibitory effects of them on bFGF-stimulated proliferation of rat vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC). MethodsVSMCs were cultured from rat aorta pectoralis and identified by an immunohistochemical method. The bio-affinities between solute (ligustilide or butylidenephthalide) and cell membrane were measured by rat aortic cell membrane chromatography (CMC). The inhibitory effects of ligustilide and butylidenephthalide on bFGF-stimulated VSMC proliferation were evaluated by MTT colorimetric method. ResultsBoth ligustilide and butylidenephthalide had selective affinities to rat aortic smooth muscle cell as the same as verapamil, one of the calcium ion antagonists. They could potently inhibit the bFGF-stimulated VSMC proliferation at the concentrations of 5.5 and 11.1 μmol·L^-1, separately (P<0.05), but had no effects on the normal VSMC growth. ConclusionBoth ligustilide and butylidenephthalide can inhibit the abnormal proliferation of VSMC induced by bFGF.