BACKGROUND: It is reported that Shenfu injection (an injection prepared from traditional Chinese medicines red ginseng and aconite root) can decrease the extent of ischemia-reperfusion injury to many organs, such as the heart and kidney. We therefore investigated the effect of Shenfu injection on ischemia-reperfusion injury of rat liver graft and its mechanism.
METHODS: Male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were used as a model for isogeneic orthotopic liver transplantation. Sixty rats were randomly devided into two groups (30 in each group). The recipient was given intravenous Shenfu injection immediately before the removal of the liver in the Shenfu group and normal saline of the same volume in the control group. At 3, 6 and 24 hours after the reperfusion, blood and hepatic tissue were taken for examination.
RESULTS: The levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and nitric oxide (NO) increased more significantly in the Shenfu group than in the control group (P<0.05). The levels of serum liver enzymes, hyaluronic acid (HA), malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 (IL-1), endothelin-1 (ET-1) and liver cell apoptosis index were lower in the Shenfu group than in the control group (P<0.05). Microscopic examination revealed that the morphological changes of hepatic tissue were more severe in the control group than in the Shenfu group.
CONCLUSIONS: Shenfu injection has protective effect on ischemia-reperfusion injury of rat liver graft. It inhibits the production of oxygen free radical and the activation of Kupffer cells, decreases apoptosis of liver cell, and improves microcirculation.