The primary aim of the present study was to investigate the suppressive effect of fluvastatin on lipid peroxidation in low density lipoprotein (LDL) and the vessel wall function of scavenging active oxygen species in rabbits.
Fluvastatin is effective in the peroxidation of LDL caused by Cu⁺⁺.
Chemiluminescence was detected when the species (Z) added to the mixture of active oxygen (X) and the X-scavenging species (Y), and the X species were stabilized with photon. Therefore, Z function plays a very important role in protecting the vessel wall from active oxygen. The photon arising system is called, new chemiluminescence.
The vessel wall was shown to have a clear Z function by means of the new chemiluminescence system. The aorta vessel wall with lipid accumulation after 0.5% cholesterol feeding markedly lost the stabilizing “Z function”. However the administration of fluvastatin recovered the reduced Z function.
In addition, serum cholesterol and triglycerides levels decreased after fluvastatin administration in the rabbit experiment. In conclusion, fluvastatin is a useful drug with a protective effect against LDL-peroxidation and vessel disturbance caused by cholesterol accumulation.

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Regulatory effects of polysaccharides from Tremella fuciformis Berk (T₂), Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer (S_B), Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SP₁) and Ganoderma tsugae (FIII-2-b) on proinflammatory cytokine production were investigated. Cytokine production was measured by radioimmunoassay. mRNA for tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) was measured by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. If the production of proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin 1 α (IL-1α), interleukin 8 (IL-8) and TNF α by LPS-PMA-stimulated THP-1 cells was at low level, herbal polysaccharides, T₂, S_B, SP₁ and FIII-2-b, up-regulated cytokine production. On the contrary, if the cytokine production was at high level, these polysaccharides down-regulated the cytokine production (bi-directional regulation) . Natural polysaccharides, T₂, S_B, SP₁ or FIII-2-b, themselves induce production of proinflammatory cytokines and also have bi-directional immunomodu-latory effects at various stimulatory conditions.

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[in Japanese]

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