Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have demonstrated that Astragalus membranaceus can influence the apoptosis and ischemia-reperfusion injury of myocardial cells. However, it is unclear whether Astragalus membranaceus plays the same role in skeletal muscle ischemia-reperfusion injury.
OBJECTIVE: To study the protective effect of Astragalus membranceus polysaccharide on skeletal muscle ischemia-reperfusion injury.
METHODS: Adult rabbits were randomly divided into experimental and control groups, and a model of limb ischemia-reperfusion injury in rabbits was established. Normal saline injection and Astragalus membranceus polysaccharide were infused intravenously into the rabbits of control and experimental groups, respectively, when blood perfusion was about to be recovered. At preischemia, 2 hours post-ischemia, 1, 3 hours post-reperfusion, blood samples were collected from the operated femoral veins to measure the activities of lactic dehydrogenase and creatine kinase. Meanwhile, the tibialis anterior tissues at the above time points were selected to measure the wet/dry weight ratio of skeletal muscle tissues, as well as to observe fine structure and ultrastructure changes.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: After reperfusion, the activities of lactic dehydrogenase and creatine kinase in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group at the same time point (P < 0.01). The wet/dry weight ratio of skeletal muscle tissues in the experimental group was lower than that in the control group at the same time point (P < 0.05). The results of an electron microscope and a light microscope showed that the degree of skeletal muscle injury in the experimental group was slighter than that in the control group. These findings suggest that Astragalus membranceus polysaccharide can relieve tissue swelling and protect skeletal muscle from ischemia-reperfusion injury.