OBJECTIVETo observe the protective effect of Acanthopanax senticosus saponins (ASS) on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

METHODThe myocardial ischemia-reperfusion model was induced by 30 min left anterior descending coronary occlusion and 120 min reperfusion in rats. The changes of myocardial infarct size (MIS), the serum creatine phosphokinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, the serum lipid peroxidation (LPO) content and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity and plasma endothelin (ET), angiotensin II (Ang II), prostacycline (PGI2) and thromboxane A2 (TXA2) levels and myocardial free fatty acid (FFA) content of infarct and noninfarct area were determined.

RESULTIn rats treated by ASS (in a dosage of 25, 50 and 100 mg x kg(-1) i.v. at 30 min after coronary occulusion), the MIS was significantly reduced, the serum CK and LDH activity, the plasma ET, Ang II and TXA2 level and myocardial FFA content declined, while plasma PGI2 level and PGI2/TXA2 was increased signficantly. In addition, serum LPO content declined, SOD and GSH-Px activity were increased markedly.

CONCLUSIONASS has protective effect on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury, which may be due to its function of improving free radicals and myocardial metabolism, decreasing plasma ET, Ang II and TXA2 levels and increasing plasma PGI2 level and PGI2/TXA2 ratio etc.