ABSTRACT
Sepsis is the systemic inflammatory response caused by infection. Cardiac dysfunction is an acknowledged result of sepsis.Shengjiang Powder, a prescribed traditional Chinese medicine, showed anti-infection and antipyretic functions in ourprevious study. In this study, we established a septic rat model via cecal ligation puncture (CLP) to evaluate the effects ofShengjiang Powder on sepsis and the involvement of P38 mitogen activated protein kinase (P38-MAPK) signaling. The 10main ingredients of Shengjiang Powder were identified by LC–MS. The results of this study indicated that ShengjiangPowder at a concentration of 3.0 g/kg with SB203580 (an inhibitor of P38-MAPK) could improve myocardial injury,ameliorate the histopathological abnormalities, decrease apoptosis and upregulate proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)levels in myocardial tissues. Further, cytokine mRNA expression levels (tumor necrosis factor - alpha, TNF-a and interleukin 6, IL-6) were decreased by Shengjiang Powder and SB203580 in the myocardial tissues. Furthermore, the p-P38protein level in myocardial tissues was upregulated in septic rats but decreased upon treatment with Shengjiang Powder andSB203580; however, the relative protein level of P38 showed no significant changes. Collectively, Shengjiang Powdershowed a myocardial protective effect on rats with CLP-induced sepsis.