title: Puerarin attenuates severe burn-induced acute myocardial injury in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Puerarin, the main isoflavone glycoside extracted from the root of Pueraria lobata, is widely prescribed for patients with cardiovascular disorders in China. This study investigates the effect of puerarin on severe burn-induced acute myocardial injury in rats and its underlying mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Healthy adult Wistar rats were divided into three groups: (1) sham group, sham burn treatment; (2) burn group, third-degree burns over 30% of the total body surface area (TBSA) with lactated Ringer's solution for resuscitation; and (3) burn plus puerarin group, third-degree burns over 30% of TBSA with lactated Ringer's solution containing puerarin for resuscitation. The burned animals were sacrificed at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h after burn injury. Myocardial injury was evaluated by analyzing serum creatine kinase MB fraction (CK-MB) activity and cardiac troponin T (cTNT) level. Changes in cardiomyocyte ultrastructure were also determined using a transmission electron microscope. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α concentration in serum was measured by radioimmunoassay. Cardiac myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration were measured to determine neutrophil infiltration and oxidative stress in the heart, respectively. The expression of p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase in the heart was determined by Western blot analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the 30% TBSA full-thickness burn injury, serum CK-MB activities and cTnT levels increased markedly, both of which were significantly decreased by the puerarin treatment. The level of serum TNF-α concentration in burn group at each time-point was obviously higher than those in sham group (1.09±0.09 ng/ml), and it reached the peak value at 12 h post burn. Burn trauma also resulted in worsen ultrastructural condition, elevated MPO activity and MDA content in heart tissue, and a significant activation of cardiac p38 MAP kinase. Administration of puerarin improved the ultrastructural changes in cardiomyocytes, decreased TNF-α concentration in serum as well as suppressed cardiac MPO activity and reduced MDA content, and abolished the activation of p38 MAP kinase in heart tissue after severe burn.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that puerarin attenuates inflammatory responses, reduces neutrophil infiltration and oxidative stress in the heart, and protects against acute myocardial injury induced by severe burn.
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 218 Jixi Road, Hefei, Anhui 230022, PR China.
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, PR China.
authors.forename: Hong-Bo
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 218 Jixi Road, Hefei, Anhui 230022, PR China.
authors.forename: Xu-Lin
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 218 Jixi Road, Hefei, Anhui 230022, PR China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 218 Jixi Road, Hefei, Anhui 230022, PR China.
authors.forename: Ren-Su
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 218 Jixi Road, Hefei, Anhui 230022, PR China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 218 Jixi Road, Hefei, Anhui 230022, PR China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 218 Jixi Road, Hefei, Anhui 230022, PR China.
authors.forename: Ye-Xiang
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 218 Jixi Road, Hefei, Anhui 230022, PR China. Electronic address: wangyongjie62@126.com.
authors.forename: Yong-Jie
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications*; D052279:Creatine Kinase, MB Form / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects*; D007249:Inflammation; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D020556:Neutrophil Infiltration / Q000187:drug effects*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D020107:Troponin T / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007529:Isoflavones; D020107:Troponin T; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D009195:Peroxidase; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D052279:Creatine Kinase, MB Form; C033607:puerarin
keywords: Acute myocardial injury; Burns; Oxidative stress; Puerarin; Tumor necrosis factor-α; p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase