The Functional Vision Protection Effect of Danshensu via Dopamine D1 Receptors: In Vivo Study.

Danshensu, a traditional herb-based active component (Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge), has garnered attention, due to its safety, nutritional value, and antioxidant effects, along with cardiovascular-protective and neuroprotective abilities; however, its effect on the retinal tissues and functional vision has not been fully studied. The objective of this study was to analyze the protective effect of danshensu on retinal tissues and functional vision in vivo in a mouse model of light-induced retinal degeneration. High energy light-evoked visual damage was confirmed by the loss in structural tissue integrity in the retina accompanied by a decline in visual acuity and visual contrast sensitivity function (VCSF), whereas the retina tissue exhibited severe Müller cell gliosis. Although danshensu treatment did not particularly reduce light-evoked damage to the photoreceptors, it significantly prevented Müller cell gliosis. Danshensu exerted protective effects against light-evoked deterioration on low spatial frequency-based VCSF as determined by the behavioral optomotor reflex method. Additionally, the protective effect of danshensu on VCSF can be reversed and blocked by the injection of a dopamine D1 receptor antagonist (SCH 23390). This study demonstrated that the major functional vision promotional effect of danshensu in vivo was through the dopamine D1 receptors enhancement pathway, rather than the structural protection of the retinas.

Danshensu Decreases UVB-Induced Corneal Inflammation in an Experimental Mouse Model via Oral Administration.

BACKGROUND: Danshensu is a bioactive constituent of Salvia miltiorrhiza, a plant commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine. In this study, we investigated the pharmacological efficacy of sodium danshensu, or named salvianic acid A sodium (SAS) on ultraviolet B (UVB)-mediated corneal inflammatory injury in mice. METHODS: Albino mice were divided into one blank control group, and three UVB radiation groups, i.e. SAS-untreated group, and prophylactic treatment groups with SAS at 1 and 10 mg/kg via oral administration. The structure integrity and inflammatory changes of cornea were assessed by surface evaluation of smoothness, topographic distortion, opacity, lissamine green staining, and histologic tissue staining. The inflammatory cytokines was measured by bead-based ELISA assays. RESULTS: Prophylactic treatment of SAS significantly inhibited pathologic changes, improved tissue structural integrity, and reduced inflammatory injury in the cornea after UVB exposure. Dosing with SAS treatment attenuated the incidence rate of leukocyte influx by inhibit increase of interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and tumor necrosis factor-α. Treatment with 10 mg/kg SAS was more effective in preventing the onset of corneal damage than that with 1 mg/kg SAS. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that SAS exhibit the pharmacological efficacy on corneal protection through its inhibition of UVB induced photodamage and subsequently inflammatory injury in vivo.