Protective effect of Radix Astragali injection on immune organs of rats with obstructive jaundice and its mechanism.
OBJECTIVE
To observe the protective effect of Radix Astragali injection on immune organs (lymph nodes, spleen and thymus) of rats with obstructive jaundice (OJ) and its mechanism.


METHODS
SD rats were randomly divided into sham-operation group, model control group and Radix Astragali treatment group. On days 7, 14, 21 and 28 after operation, mortality rate of rats, pathological changes in immune organs, expression levels of Bax and nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB p65 proteins, apoptosis indexes and serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha level in spleen and thymus were observed, respectively.


RESULTS
Compared to model control group, the number of dead OJ rats in Radix Astragali treatment group decreased (P > 0.05). The TNF-alpha level (27.62 +/- 12.61 vs 29.55 +/- 18.02, 24.61 +/- 9.09 vs 31.52 +/- 10.95) on days 7 and 21, the pathological severity score for spleen [0.0 (0.0) vs 0.0 (2.0) on days 7 and 14 and for lymph nodes [0.0 (1.0) vs 1.0 (2.0), 1.0 (0.0) vs 2.0 (1.0)] on days 21 and 28, the product staining intensity and positive rate of Bax protein in spleen [0.0 (0.0) vs 1.0 (2.0), 0.0 (1.0) vs 2.0 (1.5) and thymus [0.0 (0.0) vs 1.0 (2.0), 0.0 (1.0) vs 2.0 (1.5)] on days 14 and 28, the apoptotic indexes [0.0 (0.0) vs 0.0 (0.01)] in spleen and thymus [0.0 (0.0) vs 0.0 (0.01) on days 14 and 21 were significantly lower in Radix Astragali treatment group than in model control group (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Radix Astragali has protective effects on immune organs of OJ rats by relieving the pathological changes in immune organs, reducing TNF-alpha level and inhibiting Bax expression and apoptosis in spleen and thymus.
Zhang
Rui-Ping
RP
Department of Orthopaedics, First Clinical Medical College of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China.
Zhang
Xi-Ping
XP
Ruan
Yue-Fang
YF
Ye
Shu-Yun
SY
Zhao
Hong-Chan
HC
Cheng
Qi-Hui
QH
Wu
Di-Jiong
DJ
D000818:Animals; D027883:Astragalus Plant / Q000737:chemistry*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D041781:Jaundice, Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013154:Spleen / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D010936:Plant Extracts; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein