[Effect of astragalus injection on left ventricular remodeling and apoptotic gene caspase-3 in rats after myocardial infarction].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Astragalus injection (AI) on left ventricular remodeling and the expression of apoptotic gene caspase-3 in rats after myocardial infarction (MI). METHODS: The MI model was established. The experimental animals were divided into 4 groups, Group I (the sham-operated group), Group II (the sham-operated plus AI group), Group III (the model group), Group IV (the model plus AI group). Animals in the II and IV group were intraperitoneally injected with 2 ml AI once a day after operation, while animals in the I and III group were treated with normal saline of equal volume. After treated for 4 weeks successively, the structural change of left ventricle and the level of oxyproline in myocardium were observed, and expression of caspase-3 was determined by immunohistochemical method. RESULTS: As compared with Group Ill, the ultrastructure of myocardium and indexes of left ventricular remodeling were improved, the myocardial content of oxyproline decreased (P < 0.05), the caspase-3 positive cells reduced and caspase-3 mRNA expression significantly down-regulated (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: AI can improve left ventricular remodeling, inhibit apoptosis by down-regulate the expression of apoptotic gene caspase-3 in rats after MI.