Effect of asarinin on the acute heart transplantation rejection and the expression of adhesion molecule / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To test the effect of asarinin, the extract of Herba Asari, on the acute heart transplantation rejection and the expression of adhesion molecule.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Asarinin was extracted from herba asari. 64 SD rats undergone heart transplantation were divided into four groups: group A (control group), group B (Cyclosporine A treated), group C (Asarinin treated), and group D (1/2 CsA and 1/2 Asarinin). Some rats were used to examine survival time (n = 8) and the others were used to observe the pathological injury and the expression level of interrellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-I (VCAM-1) by using immunohistochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Asarinin could prolong the survival time of allografts, which was similar to CsA group (P > 0.05). Asarinin could relieve the damage of cardiomyocytes of the transplanted. Asarinin could also decrease the level of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in the allografts.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Asarinin may play important roles in suppressing the immune rejection, prolong the allografts survival time and protect the donor organ, which was similar to CsA. The expression level of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 is increased in suppressing the course of acute rejection and asarinin can inhibit their expression level. Asarinin can decrease the dosage of CsA.</p>

Effect of astragalus injection on left ventricular remodeling and apoptotic gene caspase-3 in rats after myocardial infarction / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>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).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>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.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>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).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>AI can improve left ventricular remodeling, inhibit apoptosis by down-regulate the expression of apoptotic gene caspase-3 in rats after MI.</p>