Vasodilatory Effect of Wogonin on the Rat Aorta and Its Mechanism Study.

Wogonin, a natural flavonoid, is one of the bioactive compounds of the medicinal herb Eucommia ulmoides OLIV. widely used in southeastern Asia for treating hypertension. However, the molecular mechanisms for the therapeutic benefits remain largely unclear.

Cryptotanshinone and wogonin up-regulate eNOS in vascular endothelial cells via ERα and down-regulate iNOS in LPS stimulated vascular smooth muscle cells via ERβ.

Phytoestrogens were widely used as natural alternatives to estrogen for treating cardiovascular diseases. They have been reported to have cardioprotective and anti-inflammatory response, but the mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we found cryptotanshinone and wogonin exhibited phytoestrogenic property in an estrogen-responsive reporter assay.