Justicia gendarussa Leaf Extract Increases Endothelial Cell Viability in Angiotensin II-Induced Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells

¹ Department of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang, East Java, Indonesia
² Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Islam Malang, East Java, Indonesia
³ Center for the Integration of Islamic Medicine, Bioinformatics, and Indonesian Traditional Medicine
⁴ Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Islam Malang, East Java, Indonesia
⁵ Regenerative Medicine and Cell Therapy Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
⁶ Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, College of Life Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
⁷ Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
⁸ Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

¹ Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Hypertension stimulates the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System (RAAS) to malfunction and activates the synthesis of angiotensin II (Ang II). It triggers the generation of oxidative stress, which in turn causes endothelial cell dysfunction and death. The active substances of Justicia gendarussa (J. gendarussa) leaf reduce free radicals. The study hypothesized whether J. gendarussa leaf extract restores cell viability of human vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) induced by Ang II. The in vitro model of HUVECs used a post-only control group design. HUVECs were cultured with 0.1 μM Ang II alone and with Ang II plus the extract of 12.5, 25, and 50 μg/mL J. gendarussa, respectively. Cell viability was assayed by Cell Counting Kit (CCK)-8 assay. Cell viability percentage at 0-hour observation in the CTL, Ang II, 12.5, 25, 50 μg/ml J. gendarussa leaf extract groups was 100±1.17, 94.91±0.75, 94.76±0.53, 96.02±1.42, 94.47±0.8%, respectively. At 24-hours observation was 100±0.78, 59.23±1.91, 74.93±1.17, 95.59±1.99, 81.99±0.59%, respectively. At 48-hours observation was 100±0.72, 78.71±0.33, 106.39±0.95, 129.47±0.25, 107.87±1.08%, respectively. In comparison with the control group and J. gendarussa extract administration, we found that cell viability was significantly increased at 24 and 48 hours of observation (p< 0.000). We concluded that J. gendarussa leaf extract improves endothelial cell viability in Ang II-induced HUVECs.