Figure 4.
Effect of RE and metoprolol on improvements in vascular function. (a) Endothelium-dependent relaxation to ACh (10−8–10−4 M). (b) Endothelium-independent relaxation to SNP (10−9–10−5 M). Values are expressed as the mean ± standard deviation (n = 6–8).#P < 0.05,##P < 0.01 versus normal control group; *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 versus modal control group. ACh: Acetylcholine; SNP: Nitroprusside; RE: Paeoniflorin enriched extract from Radix Paeoniae alba; NC: Normal control; MC: Model control; MP-H: Metoprolol high dose (20 mg/kg, p.o.); MP-L: Metoprolol low dose (6 mg/kg, p.o.); RE-H: RE high dose (90 mg/kg, p. o.); RE-L: RE low dose (30 mg/kg, p.o.); MP + RE: MP combined with RE (6 mg/kg + 30 mg/kg, p.o.)