ArticleInternational journal of molecular sciences2022
Potential Actions of Baicalein for Preventing Vascular Calcification of Smooth Muscle Cells In Vitro and In Vivo.
Article in International journal of molecular sciences, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 18 citations in OpenAlex.
- Vascular calcification: pathogenic mechanisms, signaling crosstalk and translational therapeutics.Signal transduction and targeted therapy · 2026Review
- Targeting Vascular Calcification: Novel Insights into Molecular Pathways and Clinical Interventions.Cardiovascular drugs and therapy · 2026Review
- Corylin Confers Vasoprotection via JDP2-Nrf2 Antioxidant Axis against Chronic Kidney Disease-Induced Smooth Muscle Cell Remodelling.Journal of cellular and molecular medicine · 2026Article
- Pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and formulation strategies for enhanced bioavailability of baicalein: an update.Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology · 2026Review
- Bortezomib Suppresses Abnormal Proliferation, Migration, and Phenotypic Switching of Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells.Acta Cardiologica Sinica · 2026Article
- The relationship between programmed cell death and vascular calcification.Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2025Review
- Lysyl Oxidase in Ectopic Cardiovascular Calcification: Role of Oxidative Stress.Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- [Biological function of bladder smooth muscle cells regulated by multi-modal biomimetic stress].Sheng wu yi xue gong cheng xue za zhi = Journal of biomedical engineering = Shengwu yixue gongchengxue zazhi · 2024Article
- Dietary lycopene is negatively associated with abdominal aortic calcification in US adults: a cross-sectional study.Annals of medicine · 2023Article
- Vasculoprotective Potential of Baicalein in Angiotensin II-Infused Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms through Inhibiting Inflammation and Oxidative Stress.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Article
- Article
- Selected Plant-Derived Polyphenols as Potential Therapeutic Agents for Peripheral Artery Disease: Molecular Mechanisms, Efficacy and Safety.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Review
- The Endothelial Transcription Factor ERG Mediates a Differential Role in the Aneurysmatic Ascending Aorta with Bicuspid or Tricuspid Aorta Valve: A Preliminary Study.International journal of molecular sciences · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
Vascular calcification (VC) is associated with cardiovascular disease. Baicalein, a natural flavonoid extract of Scutellaria baicalensis rhizome has several biological properties which may inhibit VC. We investigated whether baicalein suppresses Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) and bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) and upregulates smooth muscle 22-alpha (SM22-α) and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). In an in vitro experiment, primary rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were pretreated with 0.1, 1, and 5 μM baicalein, followed by β-glycerophosphate (β-GP) to induce calcification. In an in vivo experiment, VC was generated by vitamin D3 plus nicotine (VDN) administration to male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats randomly assigned into a control group, a VC group, a VC group pretreated with baicalein, and a baicalein alone group. Each group comprised 10 rats. Left ventricular (LV) morphology, function and performance were assessed by echocardiography. Calcium content was measured by Alizarin red S staining and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assays. Apoptotic VSMCs were detected by flow cytometry. Protein levels and superoxide changes were evaluated using Western blotting and immunofluorescence assays respectively. Plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) was assayed. Baicalein pretreatment significantly reduced calcium content in calcified VSMCs (p < 0.001) as well as in VC rat aortic smooth muscle (p < 0.001). Additionally, ALP activity was decreased in calcified VSMCs and VC rat aortic smooth muscle (p < 0.001). Apoptosis was significantly attenuated by 1 μM baicalein pretreatment in calcified VSMCs. Runx2 and BMP-2 expressions were downregulated by the baicalein in calcified VSMCs. Baicalein pretreatment increased typical VSMCs markers SM22-α and α-SMA in calcified VSMCs. Baicalein pretreatment was associated with adverse changes in LV morphometry. Markers of oxidative stress declined, and endogenous antioxidants increased in VC rats pretreated with baicalein. Baicalein mitigates VC through the inhibition of Runx2/BMP-2 signaling pathways, enhancement of vascular contractile phenotype and oxidative stress reduction. However, our study is of basic experimental design; more advanced investigations to identify other molecular regulators of VC and their mechanisms of action is required.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.