[Glycyrrhiznatis ameliorates rabbit myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury through P38MAPK pathway].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the role of p38MAPK pathway in the protective effect of glycyrrhiznatis against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion in rabbits.


METHODS
Thirty rabbits were randomly divided into control group, I/R group, and glycyrrhiznatis group. In the latter two groups, the left anterior descending branch of the coronary artery was ligated for 40 min followed by 120 min of reperfusion, and in glycyrrhiznatis group, glycyrrhiznatis was given intravenously at 2.5 mg/kg before the occlusion. Blood samples were taken to measure the plasma levels of TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-8 at 20 min before (T(0)) and 20 min (T(1)) and 40 min (T(2)) after the occlusion, and at 1 h (T(3)) and 2 h (T(4)) after the reperfusion. At the end of the reperfusion, the infarct size and the area at risk were defined by Evams and TTC staining. The heart was harvested and the levels of the p38 MAPK measured by Western blotting. The ultrastructures of the cardiac myocytes were observed under electron microscope.


RESULTS
The p38MAPK activity and the plasma levels of the inflammatory factors were significantly lower in gtycyrrhiznatis group than in I/R group (P<0.05). Glycgrrhiznatis significantly reduced the infarct size as compared with that in I/R group.


CONCLUSIONS
lycyrrhiznatis can reduce myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury by inhibiting p38MAPK activity and modulating the cytokine expression.
Department of Anesthesiology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China. Liuliucs06@126.com
Liu
L
Liu
Hai-yang
HY
Zhou
Ke
K
Ran
Jiang-bin
JB
Wang
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases