title: Effects of tetramethylpyrazine on cardiac function and mortality rate in septic rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effects of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) on cardiac function and mortality rate in septic rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into a sham-operation group (sham group, n=10), normal saline group (NS group, n=20), and TMP group (n=20). The rats in the NS and TMP groups underwent cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) to induce sepsis. Rats in the NS group were injected with NS (10 mL/kg) immediately after CLP and 6 h after CLP. Rats in the TMP group were injected with TMP (10 mg/kg) at the same time points. Twenty-four hours after modeling, the mortality rates were observed in each group. Cardiac function and serum concentration of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) were also tested. The correlation between TNF-α and the ejection fraction (EF) was observed. Left ventricle specimens were reserved for histomorphologic study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the sham group, the NS and TMP groups had decreased EF values and increased mortality rates and serum TNF-α levels (P <0.05). The TMP group had a comparatively lower mortality rate and TNF-α level and a higher EF value compared with the NS group (P <0.05). Histomorphology indicated that myocardial inflammation in the TMP group was mild compared with that in the NS group. There was a negative correlation between TNF-α level and EF value (r=-0.583,P=0.000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TMP could reduce the mortality rate of septic rats and had certain protective effects on cardiac function.
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, Guangdong Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, China.
authors.forename: Li-Heng
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Quan-Fu
authors.initials: QF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ya-Nan
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Min-Zhou
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006334:Heart Function Tests / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011719:Pyrazines / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000187:drug effects; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D011719:Pyrazines; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C017953:tetramethylpyrazine