The effect of Xuebijing injection on B-type natriuretic peptide level of rabbits with acute pulmonary thromboembolism / 中国中西医结合急救杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the therapeutic effect and possible mechanisms of Xuebijing injection for treatment of acute pulmonary thromboembolism(APE)in rabbits. Methods Twenty-four New Zealand rabbits with big ears were randomly divided into control group,model group and Xuebijing group(each n=8). The model of APE was performed by re-infusing of autologous blood clots. After the model was established,in the rabbits of the Xuebijing group,Xuebijing injection 1 mL/kg was injected into the ear marginal vein,twice daily for consecutive 7 days. In the model and control groups,the same amount of normal saline was given via the same route. The changes in plasma levels of B-type natriuretic peptide(BNP)were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) at the time points of 8 hours and 1,3,5,7 days,and after 7 days the lungs of the rabbits were removed for the lung histopathological examination. Results The BNP levels of the model group and Xuebijing group were significantly higher compared with the level of control group at 8 hours after embolization,the model group being the most significant(all P<0.05). On day 3,the BNP levels of the model group and Xuebijing group reached their peaks,and then gradually decreased,but the level of model group was significantly higher than that of Xuebijing group(ng/L581.1±144.6 vs. 251.5±22.5,P<0.05). On day 7,the BNP level of Xuebijing group fell to the level of the control group(ng/L78.5±9.4 vs. 50.9±11.5),the level of the model group also decreased,but it was still much higher than that of the Xuebijing group(ng/L214.1±47.6 vs. 78.5±9.4,P<0.05). Histopathological examination showed Xuebijing could significantly reduce the infarct size with mild inflammatory cell infiltration,but the infarct size of the model group was obviously bigger than that of the Xuebijing group and accompanied by relatively more inflammatory cell infiltration. Conclusion Xuebijing injection can significantly reduce the plasma BNP level of the rabbits with pulmonary embolism,and in the mean time ameliorate the degree of inflammatory infiltration in the lung tissue and infarct.