Protective mechanism of Xuebijing injection against heat stroke in rats

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the protective mechanism of Xuebijing injection (XBJ) against heat stroke (HS) in rats. Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal control (NC), normal saline-treated HS (NS-HS) and XBJ-treated HS (XBJ-HS) groups. At 47 and 57 min from the initiation of heat stress (42.5–43.5°C), the plasma levels of certain cytokines [interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α], biochemical indicators (creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase) and coagulation indicators (activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, fibrinogen degradation products and D-dimer) were detected, and microscopy of the liver tissue of the rats was conducted. At 47 and 57 min after the initiation of the heat stress, the levels of the cytokines, coagulation indicators and biochemical indicators in the NS-HS group were significantly higher than those in the NC group (P<0.05). In the NS-HS group, the levels of the aforementioned indices were significantly reduced compared with those in the NC and NS-HS groups (P<0.05). In the NS-HS group, serious liver cell congestion, nuclear swelling and central vein dilation were visible, along with the appearance of bubbles in the liver tissue. In the XBJ-HS group, only a small number of congestive liver cells were identified, with occasional nuclear swelling but no bubbles, which was similar to the observations in the NC group. Early intervention treatment of HS with XBJ is able to reduce the systemic inflammatory response and coagulation activity and decrease the tissue ischemia and injury degree, thus extending the survival time of rats with HS.

Xuebijing injection attenuates pulmonary injury by reducing oxidative stress and proinflammatory damage in rats with heat stroke

“…It is usually induced by heat stress and tends to result in high mortality and deformity (1). To date, the underlying mechanisms of heat stroke have remained elusive.…”

Beneficial effects of Xuebijing injection on random skin flap survival in rats

“…A present study [9] demonstrated that XBJ acts against heat stroke by decreasing the level of interleukin 1b, interleukin 6, and tumor necrosis factor a. These results suggest that the positive effect of XBJ on random skin survival may be associated with increasing glutathione level and decreasing certain cytokines.…”

“…XBJ injection is a traditional Chinese medicine preparation and has been widely used clinically for the treatment of sepsis, and it is beneficial to inhibit inflammatory reaction and oxidative stress in China [12]. The main effective components of XBJ are safflower yellow A, tetramethylpyrazine, paeoniflorin, and ferulic acid [9]. Safflower yellow A is the main active ingredient of Carthamus tinctorius L. Recent studies [14,15] demonstrated that safflower yellow A could attenuate apoptosis, protein oxidation, and I/R injury.…”

“…The main effective components of XBJ are safflower yellow A, tetramethylpyrazine, paeoniflorin, and ferulic acid [9]. It is reported [9] that XBJ was able to reduce endotoxin levels, regulate immune, improve microcirculation, and protect vascular endothelial cells. To the best of our knowledge, the evaluation of the viability of random-pattern skin flaps in the rat after XBJ treatment remains unclear.…”

“…Xuebijing (XBJ) injection is an intravenous preparation made from five traditional Chinese medicines, namely Chishao (Radix Paeoniae Rubra), Danggui (Radix Angelica Sinensis), Chuanxiong (Rhizoma Chuanxiong), Honghua (Flos Carthami), and Danshen (Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae) [8]. The main effective components of XBJ are safflower yellow A, tetramethylpyrazine, paeoniflorin, and ferulic acid [9]. It is reported [9] that XBJ was able to reduce endotoxin levels, regulate immune, improve microcirculation, and protect vascular endothelial cells.…”