A study of the protective effects of radix salviae miltiorrhizae on ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat lung.

Objective:To study the mechanism of the protective effects of radix salvia miltiorrhiza on lung ischemia-reperfusion injury.Methods:Sixty Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups:surgical control group(group A),ischemia-reperfusion group(group B)and Radix salvia miltiorrhiza group(group C).In each group,5 rats were sacrificed at one of four time points(45 min after ischemia;30 min,60 min and 120 min after reperfusion).The concentration of malondialdehyde(MDA)and superoxide dismutase(SOD)in plasma were detected,and the lung tissue wet/dry(W/D)ratio were examined.The histology of lung was observed,and the apoptotic index(AI)was detected by deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL).Results:(1).Histological changes:Marked pulmonary capillary congestion,edema and infiltration were observed in group B,while less pathologic alterations were shown in group C.(2).The concentration of MDA in plasma of both group B and C were significant higher at each time point after ischemia-reperfusion than that of group A(P0.05).Between group B and C,the increased level of the former group was obviously higher than the latter one(P0.05);The concentration of SOD in plasma of group B and C were significantly lower at each time point than that of group A(P0.05),and the decreased level of group C was obviously lower than that of group B(P0.05).(3)The W/D ratio of lung tissue in group B and C increased progressively with time after reperfusion(60 min,120 min reperfusion vs 45 min ischemia,P0.05);but the increase degree of group C was obviously lower than that of group B(at 60 min,120 min after reperfusion,group C vs group B,P0.05).(4).The AI of lung tissue were observed in both group B and group C,but AI in group C at different time points after reperfusion were all significant less than that in group B(P0.05).Conclusion:radix salvia miltiorrhiza can effectively protect Wistar rats from ischemia-reperfusion lung injury and the mechanism is involved with its function of oxyradical elimination,antioxygen and anti-apoptosis.