Determining the Cardioprotective Effect of Mongolian Medicine Shaosha-7 by Expression of Bcl-2 and Bax Proteins

Background: Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) plays an imperative role in the expansion of cardiovascular disease. Shaosha-7 has been exhibited to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiaggregant, and vasodilator properties. Shaosha-7, a combination of the traditional herb and Mongolian medicine, is effective and safe in treating atherosclerosis in clinical trials. We assess the cardioprotective effects of Shaosha-7 against myocardial ischemia and reperfusion (MI/R) injury in rats and explore its possible mechanism. Methods: Seventy male Sprague Dawley rats were randomized into seven groups, 10 rats in each: normal healthy group (NG), non-MI/R group (Sham), MI/R injury group (Control group) were treated with 2 ml/100 g distilled water, once a day for 15 days and, MI/R group treated with a low, medium, high dose of Shaosha-7 at the doses of 0.4, 0.8 and 1.6 g/kg (Drug group 1,2,3 ) respectively, once a day for 15 days, and MI/R group treated with 0.3 g/kg Danshen (Positive drug group), once a day for 15 days. MI/R was induced by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) for 30 minutes, then the thoracic cavity was closed after reperfusion in the Control and Drug groups. In the Sham group, the LAD was exposed without occlusion. Blood samples were collected from the carotid artery (10 rats in each group) after 2 hours of reperfusion, to determine the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-18 (IL-18), cardiac troponin I (cTnI), creatine kinase-myocardial band (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The expression of NF-кB was detected by immunohistochemistry. The animals were then sacrificed and the hearts were harvested for histopathology and western blot analysis. Infarct size was measured in the remaining five rats in each group after 24 hours of reperfusion. Results: Shaosha-7 significantly decreased levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, cTnI, CK-MB, LDH, MDA, GSH-Px, and infarct size through the upregulating the expression of BCL-2 protein and down-regulating the expression of Bax protein. Conclusions: Shaosha-7 is effective in protecting the myocardium against MI/R injury in rats. Its possible cardioprotective mechanism involves inhibition of the inflammatory response and apoptosis following MI/R injury.