Abstract: | AbstractContext: Magnesium lithospermate B (MLB), an active polyphenol acid of Danshen [Radix Salviae miltiorrhizae (Labiatae)], showed renoprotective, neuroprotective and myocardial salvage effects. Previous studies demonstrated that MLB could effectively suppress the production of cytokines and their associated signaling pathways in activated human T cells.Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the beneficial effects of MLB on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) injury and to explore its potential mechanisms related to anti-inflammation.Materials and methods: Sprague–Dawley rats were grouped as sham group, model group and MLB-treated (15, 30 and 60?mg/kg) groups. Animals were subjected to MI/R injury by the occlusion of left anterior descending artery for 30?min followed by reperfusion for 3?h. At the end of reperfusion, blood samples were collected to determine the serum levels of cardiac troponin (cTnI), creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and interleukin 6 (IL-6). Hearts were harvested to assess infarct size, histopathological changes and the activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO). The expression of phosphor-IkB-α and phosphor-nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) were assayed by western blot.Results: MLB administration significantly (p?0.05) reduced: (1) ST-segment elevation (0.23?mv), (2) the infarct size (22.5%), (3) histological scores of myocardial injury (1.67 score), (4) myocardial injury marker enzymes: cTnI (5.64?ng/ml) and CK-MB (49.57?ng/ml) levels, (5) pro-inflammatory cytokines: TNF-α (97.36?pg/ml), IL-1β (93.35?pg/ml) and IL-6 (96.84?pg/ml) levels, (6) MPO activity (1.82?U/mg), (7) phosphor-NF-κB (0.87) and phosphor-IkB-α (0.96) expression.Discussion and conclusion: Our study provided evidence that MLB ameliorated the inflammatory process associated with MI/R injury via NF-κB inactivation. |