Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Protective effect of astragalus injection against myocardial injury in septic young rats via inhibition of JAK/STAT signal pathway and regulation of inflammation

Zhihong Zhao, Xuejing Wang, Xiumin Li, Hongshuang Li, Bin Xu

Department of Pediatric, Liaocheng Second People's Hospital, Linqing, PR China;

For correspondence:- Bin Xu Email: tky76s@163.com

Accepted: 28 February 2020 Published: 31 March 2020

Citation: Zhao Z, Wang X, Li X, Li H, Xu B. Protective effect of astragalus injection against myocardial injury in septic young rats via inhibition of JAK/STAT signal pathway and regulation of inflammation. Trop J Pharm Res 2020; 19(3):565-569 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v19i3.15

© 2020 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the protective effect of astragalus injection against myocardial injury in septic young rats, and the underlying mechanism of action.

Methods: Seventy-two healthy Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly selected and used to establish a young rat model of sepsis. The young rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: sham, model and astragalus injection groups. Each group had 24 young rats. Serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI), IL-10, IL-6, JAK2 and STAT3 were measured after op.

Results: Compared with sham group, serum cTnI level in the model group was significantly higher, while serum cTnI level of the drug group was significantly lower than that of the model group (p < 0.05). Compared with model group, the level of IL-10 in the myocardial tissue of the drug group was significantly elevated, while IL-6 level was lower (p < 0.05). Relative to sham rats, myocardial JAK2 and STAT3 protein levels in model rats were high. However, myocardial JAK2 and STAT3 proteins in the drug-treated rats were significantly downregulated, relative to model rats (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Astragalus injection upregulates IL-10 and IL-6 in rats by inhibiting the activation of JAK/STAT signal pathway, and via maintenance of pro-inflammation/anti-inflammation balance. Thus, astragalus exerts protective effect against myocardial injury in sepsis, and can potentially be developed for use as such in clinical practice.

Keywords: Astragalus injection, JAK/STAT signal pathway, Pro-inflammatory/anti-inflammatory imbalance, Sepsis, Myocardial injury