The protective effect of catechin on acute high-altitude hypoxic injury / 中国药理学通报

ABSTRACT

Aim To study the protective effect of catechin on acute altitude injury in rats. Methods Rats were randomly divided into six groups control group, altitude hypoxia model group, rhodiola capsule group, low -, middle-and high dose of catechin groups. After three days of preventive administration, animals were rushed to 4 010 m altitude. After five days of continuous administration, abdominal aortic blood of rats was collected for blood gas detection. Cardiac, brain and lung tissues were collected for HE staining to observe the pathological changes. MDA content, GSH content, NO content, SOD activity of myocardial, brain and lung tissues were detected, so were IL-6 and TNF-α content in serum. Results Compared with the control group, blood oxygen saturation of rats of altitud hypoxia model group was significantly reduced, while myocardial, brain and lung tissues were damaged to different degrees. MDA and NO content increased, while GSH content and SOD activity decreased. The serum inflammatory factors TNF-α and IL-6 levels were elevated significantly. After catechin treatment, blood oxygen saturation of hypoxia rats significantly increased (P < 0. 05). HE staining results showed that myocardial, brain and lung tissue injury was alleviated to some extent. MDA, NO, IL-6 and TNF-α content were down-regulated, while GSH content and SOD activity were up-regulated respectively. Conclusions Catechin can resist high altitude hypoxia and protect the main organs from hypoxia injury in rats acute exposed to altitude, which is related to alleviating oxidative stress and inflammation caused by acute hypoxia exposure.