Abstract: To explore the effects of the Yishenhuoxue capsule (YC) on aortic monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) mRNA expression and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) activation in atherogenesis of hyperhomocysteinemic rabbits. Methods Forty male New Zealand white rabbits were divided into five groups: the control, the model, the low dose YC, the high dose YC and the western medicine (folic acid, VitB₆ and VitB₁₂) group. Apart from the control group, rabbits in other groups underwent balloon catheter injuries and a high methionine diet to induce hyperhomocysteinemia and atherosclerosis by treatment with different drugs. The plasma Hcy concentration, the aortic morphological changes, the MCP-1 mRNA expression and the expression of inhibitor of nuclear factor-kappaB (IκBα) protein in the abdominal aorta were respectively determined by high performance liquid chromatography, HE staining, real-time quantitative PCR and western blot. Results Both YC and western medicine could decrease the plasma Hcy concentration（P＜0.01), attenuate the intimal thickening, down-regulate the MCP-1 mRNA expression（P＜0.01) and increase the IκBα protein expression（P＜0.01). The efficacy of YC at a high dose was superior to that of YC at a low dose andwestern medicine（P＜0.05). Conclusion YC decreases the plasma Hcy level and subsequently reverses the aortic lesion induced by Hcy. The mechanisms may be related to its suppressive effects on MCP-1.

Key words: Yishenhuoxue capsul, Homocystein, Atherosclerosi