Shenfu injection prevents kidney from acute ischemia-reperfusion injury in rabbits

AIM: To further investigate preventive effects of Shenfu(SF) injection, a Chinese herb drug, on acute renal ischemic reperfusion injury (IRI). METHODS: After SF or normal saline was administered intravenously one time a day for four days, the renal ichemia-reperfusion(I-R) model was established by occlusion of right renal artery and vein for an hour and reperfusion for three hours after left nephroectomy. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), content of malondialdehyde(MDA) in serum and renal tissue, and content of nitric oxide (NO),concentrations of Na + and Ca 2+ , numbers of WBC adhesion in renal tissue were detected and light and electronic microscopy were used for the detection of the renal histological changes. RESULTS: SF lowered significantly MDA content in either renal tissues or serum , concentration of Na +, the number of WBC adhesion, and scores of tubules in renal tissue after renal I-R, and the SOD activity in renal tissues and serum and NO content in renal tissue were obviously increased by SF.In addition,renal histomorphological damage in either light or electronic microscope were lightened by SF. But Ca 2+ concentration in renal tissue appeared to be only mildly affected. CONCLUSION: The mechanisms that SF protects renal structure and function against acute renal IRI may be involved in increasing SOD activity,scavenging directly oxygen free redicals(OFR),raising NO content,inhibiting WBC adhesion and recruiment,preventing Na + influx to form Na + overload.