Effects of cinnabar and realgar on lactate dehydrogenase and isoenzymes in rats with infectious cerebral injury

Yishan TANG; Weiping OU; Ningsheng WANG

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

In order to improve the medication safety and remove export obstacles of Chinese preparations contained heavy metal and arsenide (cinnabar, realgar), it is necessary to carry on the evaluation on the efficacy and safety of cinnabar and realgar. At present, it has not been clear concerning to the pharmacodynamic mechanism of cinnabar and realgar in compound prescriptions yet.

OBJECTIVE:

To study the differences in cinnabar and realgar in angong niuhuang wan in the organism physiologically and pathologically so as to probe into those pharmacodynamic mechanism.

DESIGN:

A randomized and controlled trial.

SETTING:

Institute of Clinical Pharmacology of one university.MATERIALS The experiment was performed in Institute of Clinical Pharmacology of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in January 2003. Totally 51 male SD rats weighted varied from 250 g to 300 g were employed, provided by Experimental Animal Center of First Military Medical University of Chinese PLA.

METHODS:

SD rats were randomized into 6 groups(8-10 rats/group),named as normal group, normal & angong niuhuang san (integral recipe) group(278 mg/kg), normal & cinnabar and realgar omitted angong niuhuang san(disassembled recipe) group(222.7 mg/kg), cerebral edema model group(ligature on unilateral carotid artery by injection of pertussis bacilli (PB), 2 500 million/kg), model & integral recipe group (medication 278 mg/kg was done 1 hour before model preparation), model & disassembled recipe group(medication 222.7 mg/kg was done 1 hour before model preparation) . Five hours later after once medication(4 hours later after PB injection in model group), blood was collected and brain homogenate was prepared.MAIN OUTCOME

MEASURES:

Brain tissues, serum lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) activity and percentage enzyme activity of lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes (LDH1-5).

RESULTS:

Compared with normal group, the general activity of LDH in normal & integral recipe group and normal & disassembled recipe group was significantly improved by 32.4% to 38.4% ( P ＜ 0.05); percentage enzyme activity of LDH1,2 was significantly increased( P ＜ 0.01 ), and that of LDH4, 5 was reduced( P ＜0.01) . Except LDH5, there were no significant differences in enzyme activity of isoenzymes in two groups. Compared with model group, the general activity of LDH in model & integral recipe group and model & disassembled recipe group was significantly improved by 23.4% to 38.5% ( P ＜ 0.01); percentage enzyme activity of LDH5 was significantly increased( P ＜ 0.01 ), there were no significant differences in two groups. In model & integral recipe group, percentage enzyme activity of LDH2,3 was significantly decreased( P ＜ 0.01), and that of LDH1,4 was no significant change. In model & disassemble recipe group, percentage enzyme activity of LDH1,4 was significantly reduced( P ＜ 0. 05, 0.01 ) and that of LDH2,3 was no significant change.

CONCLUSION:

In normal physiological state, angong niuhuang san produces a certain injuries on cardiac muscle and kidney. In pathological state of infectious cerebral edema, both integral and disassembled recipes inhibit LDH enzymes that have been over-activated, but the significant differences did not presented between both. Cinnabar and realgar in compound prescript provide the effects in various degrees on levels of LDH isoemzymas.