Effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza on intercellular adhesion molecule 1 protein expression in the lungs of rats with severe acute pancreatitis or obstructive jaundice

EFFECTS OF SALVIA MILTIORRHIZAE ON THE KIDNEY OF RATS WITH SEVERE ACUTE PANCREATITIS AND OBSTRUTIVE JAUNDICE

Background:

Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) and obstructive jaundice (OJ) are frequent recurring diseases that bring about huge threat to human health. Some reports have demonstrated that Salviae miltiorrhizae can protect multiple organs of SAP and OJ model animals or patients, but their related mechanisms were not clear. In this study, we observed the effects of Salvia miltiorrhizae injection on apoptosis and NF-κB expression in kidney and explored the protective effect and mechanism of Salvia miltiorrhizae on the kidney of SAP or OJ rats. The results obtained will provide a theoretical basis for clinical application of Salvia miltiorrhizae.

Material and Methods:

A total of 288 rats were used for SAP -and OJ-associated experiments. The mortality rates of rats, the contents of serum BUN and CREA, the expression levels of Bax, NF-κB proteins and the apoptosis index were observed, respectively.

Results:

The pathological changes in the kidney of SAP or OJ rats in treated group were mitigated to varying degrees. At 6 and 12 hours after operation in SAP rats or on 21 and 28 days after operation in OJ rats, the contents of serum CREA in treated group were significantly lower than those in model control group; At 3 and 6 hours after operation, the staining intensity of Bax protein of kidney in treated group was significantly lower than that in model control group; on 14 days after operation, the apoptosis index in the kidney of OJ rats in treated group was significantly lower than that in model control group.

Conclusion:

Salvia miltiorrhizae can exert protective effects on the kidney of SAP and OJ rats.

Prevention of pulmonary fibrosis with salvianolic acid a by inducing fibroblast cell cycle arrest and promoting apoptosis

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge) is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), often in combination with other herbs, to treat a diversity of ailments. More recent studies have focused on its possible roles in the treatment of respiratory diseases (pneumonia and pulmonary fibrosis) and found that it has pharmacological activity that protects pulmonary morphology and function. However, the mechanism underlying this activity has not yet been clarified.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-pulmonary fibrosis effects exerted by salvianolic acid A (SAA), the ingredient responsible for the pharmacological activity of Danshen, and the underlying mechanisms. Bleomycin (BLM)-induced rat pulmonary fibrosis was used to evaluate the antifibrotic role of SAA, and fibroblast cells were used to study the mechanism involved.

RESULTS

BLM-treated rats exhibited increased alveolar wall thickness and collagen deposition in lung tissues, but these pathologies were greatly attenuated by daily administration of SAA. We also found that SAA significantly inhibited the proliferation, adhesion and migration of fibroblasts in vitro. This was partly due to a strong induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis upon SAA treatment. Consistent with these phenotypes, we observed decreased expression of the cell cycle-related proteins cyclin D1, cyclin E1, and cyclin B1, and increased expression of p53 and p21 in SAA-treated cells. In addition, the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein decreased in a dose-dependent manner, while cleaved caspase-3 protein increased upon SAA treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that the alleviation of rat pulmonary fibrosis by SAA is due to the inhibition of fibroblast proliferation and induction of apoptosis, which occurs mainly through p53-dependent growth arrest and apoptosis. We suggest that SAA should be considered as a potential novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of fibrotic lung diseases.

Effects of hydrogen-rich saline on taurocholate-induced acute pancreatitis in rat

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis (AP). As an ideal exterminator of poisonous free radicals, hydrogen can clearly reduce the degree of oxidative damage caused by severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) and lessen the presence of inflammatory cytokines. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects and mechanism of hydrogen-rich saline on SAP in rats. Serum TNF- α , IL-6, and IL-18 and histopathological score in the pancreas were reduced after hydrogen-rich saline treatment. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) contents were obviously reduced, while superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) contents were increased after hydrogen-rich saline treatment. The expression of mRNA of tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF- α ) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in the pancreas was reduced in hydrogen-rich saline treated group. In conclusion, intravenous hydrogen-rich saline injections could attenuate the severity of AP, probably via inhibiting the oxidative stress and reducing the presence of inflammatory mediators.

Delayed production of IL-18 in lungs and pancreas of rats with acute pancreatitis

BACKGROUND/AIMS

During acute pancreatitis, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1 and IL-6 play a pivotal role in promoting injury in the pancreas and remote organs. IL- 18 is a more recently discovered proinflammatory cytokine whose expression is also increased in serum. However, the profile of IL-18 expression in the pancreas and lung is unknown, and the aim of our study was to investigate such expression in rats with pancreatitis.

METHODS

Acute pancreatitis was induced by taurocholic acid and endotoxin. Pulmonary and pancreatic injury was measured by biological and histological parameters. Lung injury was also evaluated in ex vivo lung preparations.

RESULTS

Pancreatic and pulmonary injury appeared within 2 h after pancreatitis induction and persisted until the end of the protocol (18 h). TNF-α, IL-1 and IL-6 expression increased early in the lungs and pancreas, with a partial recovery by the end of the study. In contrast, IL-18 increased mostly by the end of the protocol (18 h after pancreatitis induction).

CONCLUSION

IL-18 may serve as an additional marker to monitor the severity of inflammation during pancreatitis since its tissue production is delayed and appears after that of more commonly investigated cytokines. and IAP.

Influence of Salvia miltiorrhizae on the mesenteric lymph node of rats with severe acute pancreatitis or obstructive jaundice

Objective. To observe the effect of salvia miltiorrhizae injection on inflammatory mediator levels and mesenteric lymph nodes in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) and obstructive jaundice (OJ) rats and explore the protective mechanism of salvia miltiorrhizae on the lymph nodes of these rats. Methods. A total of 288 rats were used in SAP-associated and OJ-associated experiments. The rats were randomly divided into sham-operated group, model control group, and treated group. At various time points after operation, the pathological changes in mesenteric lymph nodes of rats in each group were observed, respectively. Results. The pathological severity scores in lymph nodes of SAP rats in treated group were significantly lower than those in model control group (P < .05) while the pathological changes in lymph nodes of OJ rats in treated group also showed varying degrees of mitigation. Conclusion. Salvia miltiorrhizae can exert protective effects on the lymph nodes of SAP or OJ rats via a mechanism that is associated with reducing the contents of inflammatory mediators in blood.

Effect of salvia miltiorrhizae on pulmonary apoptosis of rats with severe acute pancreatitis or obstructive jaundice

To investigate the effect of apoptosis about Salvia miltiorrhizae injection on the lungs of SAP and OJ rats. Total 288 rats were used for SAP-associated experiments and OJ-associated experiments, respectively. The rats were randomly divided into sham-operated, model control and treated group. According to the difference of time points after operation, the SAP rats in each group were subdivided into 3, 6 and 12 h groups while the OJ rats were divided into 7, 14, 21 and 28 days groups. The pathological changes, expression levels of Bax protein and apoptotic indexes in the lungs of SAP or OJ rats were observed, and the mortality rates of SAP or OJ rats were recorded, respectively. The numbers of dead SAP and OJ rats in treated groups declined. The pathological changes in the lungs of SAP or OJ rats in treated groups were relieved to varying degrees. There was no marked difference in pathological severity scores and the positive staining intensity of Bax protein between treated groups and model control groups (all P > 0.05). Salvia miltiorrhizae has some protective effect on the lungs of rats with SAP or OJ which may be related apoptosis although our results can not find significant difference between treated groups and model control groups.

Protection of Salvia miltiorrhizae to the spleen and thymus of rats with severe acute pancreatitis or obstructive jaundice

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the therapeutic effects and mechanism of Salvia miltiorrhizae in the treatment of SAP and OJ.

METHODS

A total of 288 rats were used for SAP- and OJ-associated experiments. The rats were randomly divided into sham-operated group, model control group and treated group. The mortality rates of rats, contents of endotoxin and PLA(2) in blood, pathological changes of different indexes in spleen and thymus were observed.

RESULTS

The contents of endotoxin and PLA2 in treated group were significantly lower than those in model control group.The pathological severity scores of spleen and thymus of SAP rats as well as that of spleen of OJ rats in treated groups were significantly lower than those in model control groups (P < .05). The staining intensity as well as the product of the staining intensity and positive rate of Bax protein of spleen in model control group were significantly higher than those in treated groups (P < .01) , and the apoptosis index of spleen in treated group was significantly lower than that in model control group (P < .01).

CONCLUSION

Salvia miltiorrhizae exerts protective effects on the spleen and thymus of SAP rats and spleen of OJ rats.

Protective effects of Salvia miltiorrhizae on multiple organs of rats with obstructive jaundice

PURPOSE

we aim to explore the protective effects of Salvia miltiorrhizae injection on multiple organs of obstructive jaundice (OJ) rats through observing the impact of this injection on the pathological alterations in these organs and the contents of endotoxin, PLA(2), and TNF-alpha in the blood.

METHODS

A total of 90 mice were randomly divided into sham-operated group, model-control group, and Salvia miltiorrhizae-treated group (n = 30). According to the duration of postoperative administration, each group was further divided into two subgroups, namely, 21 d subgroup (consecutive administration for 21 d, n = 15) and 28 d subgroup (consecutive administration for 28 d, n = 15). After administration, the pathological alterations in multiple organs were observed and the contents of endotoxin, PLA(2), and TNF-alpha in the blood were determined.

RESULTS

Compared to model control group, the number of dead rats in treated group decreased though there was no statistical difference between the two groups. The pathological alterations in the liver, kidney, and spleen in treated group showed varying degrees of mitigation. At all time points, the contents of plasma endotoxin declined significantly. On day 28, plasma PLA(2) content in treated group was significantly lower than that in model-control group.

CONCLUSION

Salvia miltiorrhizae injection is able to obviously reduce the contents of inflammatory mediators in the blood of OJ rats and exert some protective effects on multiple organs of these rats.

Protective effects of Salvia miltiorrhizae on the hearts of rats with severe acute pancreatits or obstructive jaundice

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of Salvia miltiorrhizae (Danshen) in the treatment of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP)- or obstructive jaundice (OJ)-induced heart injury.

METHODS

A total of 288 rats were used for SAP- (n=108) and OJ-associated (n=180) experiments. The rats were randomly divided into sham-operated, model control, and Salvia miltiorrhizae-treated groups. According to the difference of time points after operation, SAP rats in each group were subdivided into 3, 6 and 12 h subgroups (n=12), whereas OJ rats were subdivided into 7, 14, 21, and 28 d subgroups (n=15). At the corresponding time points after operation, the mortality rates of the rats, the contents of endotoxin and phospholipase A2 (PLA2) in blood, and pathological changes of the hearts were investigated.

RESULTS

The numbers of dead SAP and OJ rats in the treated groups declined as compared with those in the model control group, but not significantly (P>0.05). The contents of endotoxin (at 6 and 12 h in SAP rats and on 7, 14, 21, and 28 d in OJ rats, respectively) and PLA2 (at 6 and 12 h in SAP rats and on 28 d in OJ rats, respectively) in the treated group were significantly lower than those in the model control group (P<0.01 and P<0.001, respectively). Besides, myocardial pathological injuries were mitigated in SAP and OJ rats.

CONCLUSION

In this study, we found that Salvia miltiorrhizae improved myocardial pathological changes, reduced the content of PLA2 in blood, and decreased the mortality rates of SAP and OJ rats, exerting protective effects on the hearts of the rats.