Figure 3

Effect of antihypertensive drug on fibrotic change in rat PO hearts. Azan staining was performed to identify fibrotic change (blue). (a) Saline was administered to the PO heart for 28 days using an osmotic pump. Perivascular and interstitial fibrotic areas are shown (blue). The dotted boxed area shows the area observed at higher magnification in (d). (b) Hydralazine was administered to the PO heart for 28 days using an osmotic pump. Fibrosis (blue) was observed around the perivascular area and interstitial space. The dotted boxed area shows the area observed at higher magnification in (e). (c) Olmesartan was administered to the PO heart for 28 days using an osmotic pump. Fibrotic change (blue) was faint around the perivascular area and interstitial space. The boxed area in dots shows the area observed at higher magnification in (f). (d) Higher magnification of the vascular area (boxed region) in (a). (e) Higher magnification of the vascular area (boxed region) in (b). (f) Higher magnification of the vascular area (boxed region) in (c). Scale bar: 100 μm. (g) Quantification of the fibrotic area in PO hearts. The result of Azan staining (blue color) of PO hearts (28 days, n=6 in each group) was quantified in each group using image analysis software. The fibrotic areas in the saline-treated PO hearts were considered to be 100, and the relative fibrotic areas in each group are shown (S, saline; H, hydralazine; O, olmesartan). Note that the olmesartan group showed a significant reduction of the fibrotic area compared with the saline-treated group.