Effect of puerarin on expression of TNF-α in rat′s ischemia-reperfusion injuried retina and its protection for rat′s retina

[Objective] To study the effect of puerarin on the expression of TNF-α in rat′s ischemia-reperfusion injuried retina and its protection for rat′s retina. [Methods] The model of retinal ischemia-reperfusion was emploied by ligationed the left side of artery, the rats were devided into ischemia-reperfusion group, ischemia-reperfusion and puerarin group and control group, each group including 1 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h and 72 h. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of TNF-α protein in different stages of rat′s retina. The ERG were examined in different stages. [Result] In ischemia-reperfusion group, TNF-α began to express after reperfusion for 6 h and increased gradually, it reached the highest level after reperfusion for 24 h. In ischemia-reperfusion and puerarin group, TNF-α can be detected at 12 h, its expression strongest at 24 h. But was lower than the same stage of ischemia-reperfusion group. There was no TNF-α expressed in control group. The relative ERG a, b wave of ischemia-reperfusion and puerarin group was higher than ischemia-reperfusion group, but lower than the control group. [Conclusion] The puerarin can inhibit the expression of TNF-α in rat′s ischemia-reperfusion injuried retina and protect it.