Danshen injection prevents heart failure by attenuating post-infarct remodeling.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Danshen Injection (DSI) is a traditional Chinese medicine extracted from Danshen, prepared from the dried root and rhizome of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge. Danshen is an ancient antipyretic traditional Chinese medicine which is mostly used to improve blood circulation and dispel blood stasis. Danshen decoction or liquor-fried Danshen (with grain-based liquor) which is cool in nature is traditionally used to 'cool the blood' and reduce the swelling of sores and abscesses.

AIM OF STUDY: The present study aimed to examine the effect and mechanism of DSI in LAD induced heart injury.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: One day after LAD surgery, adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to 3 groups: MI group; DSI group (1.5ml/kg/d, intramuscular); and Valsartan group (10mg/kg/d, intragastric). Echocardiography and hemodynamic measurements (Pressure-Volume loop) were performed to evaluate cardiac function. Pathological methods (Masson, and Sirus red staining) were used to check myocardial fibrosis. Western blotting assay was used to detect the protein expression of MMP-2. RT-PCR was used to detect the gene expression of MMP-9, MPO, iNOS, Bcl-2 and Bax.

RESULTS: DSI administration to LAD rats resulted in improved cardiac functions, hemodynamic parameters and normalized ventricular mass. Furthermore, DSI-treated group demonstrated potential regulation of myocardial collagen I and III deposition associated with MMP-2 expression. Also, DSI administration decreased gene expression of iNOS, MPO and MMP-9, and increased Bcl-2/Bax ratio.

CONCLUSION: Myocardial fibrosis, cardiac hypertrophy, hemodynamic deterioration as well as systolic and diastolic dysfunctions which characterize a failing hearts were significantly prevented by DSI. Our study may provide future directions to focus on the anti-hypertrophic mechanisms of DSI and pathological roles played by MMP-2 in myocardial hypertrophy. Meanwhile, DSI also performed the effect of anti-inflammation by the way of decreasing iNOS and MPO. The way Danshen Injection increasing Bcl-2/Bax presented the possibility that it may has the effect of inhibiting cell death.