AIMTo investigate the effects of human urotensin II (hUII) on in vivo pia mater microcirculation in rats.

METHODSAdult SD rats were randomly assigned to the following groups: control, sodium chloride injection (NS), UII(10(-6) mol/L), noradrenaline (NA, 10(-6) mol/L), and UII (10(-6) mol/L) + NA (10(-6) mol/L) groups. For recording of microcirculation images in pia mater, skull windows were performed and mounted on the stage of an intravital microscope equipped with a TV camera. Video images of microcirculation were stored by a video cassette recorder. Temporal changes in internal diameter and microcirculatory velocity of microvessels were measured by computer using the Image Pro software. The blood flow in cerebral tissues were measured with PIMII laser Doppler perfusion Imager (Lisca, Sweden).

RESULTSThe internal diameters of arterioles and venules in control group were (35.4 +/- 3.6) microm and (40.6 +/- 8.5) microm, respectively. In UII group, the arterioles and venules contracted immediately after treated with UII and up to the peak at 1 min, the internal diameters of arterioles and venules were (25.6 +/- 3.4) microm and (23.4 +/- 3.3) microm, respectively (P < 0.05). Both microcirculatory velocity in arterioles and venules had no significant changes in UII group (P > 0.05). The blood flow in meninges increased 1 min after treated with UII and up to high peak at 5 min (3.5 +/- 0.4 perfusion unit vs. control 2.3 +/- 0.6, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONhUII can contract microvessels in pia mater of rats and increase microcirculatory blood perfusion to cerebral tissue involved.

Animals ; Cerebrovascular Circulation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Male ; Microcirculation ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Urotensins ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study the action characteristics of "two-way application and conditioned dominance" of traditional Chinese medicines with neutral property by observing the action characteristic of 10 traditional Chinese medicines capable of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis with neutral property in the microcirculation in rats with heat stagnation and blood stasis syndrome.

METHODThe rat model with heat stagnation and blood stasis syndrome was established by injecting carrageenan and dry yeast, and the rat model with cold stagnation and blood stasis syndrome was built by the body freezing method. Ten traditional Chinese medicines with neutral property, including 5 with hot property and 5 with cold property, were selected for intervention to observe blood flow rate and flow state indicators in rat auricles and make a comparative analysis on action characteristics of traditional Chinese medicines with neutral property.

RESULTANOVA showed that among the 10 traditional Chinese medicines with neutral property, 6 such as Typhae Pollen, Sappan Lignum and Vaccariae Semen can obviously increase the blood flow rate (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05) in the above two models; all of the 5 traditional Chinese medicines with cold property can increase the blood flow rate (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05) in the rat model with heat stagnation and blood stasis syndrome, but only Salvia miltiorrhiza can increase the blood flow rate (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05) in the rat models with cold stagnation and blood stasis syndrome, while other medicines showed no notable effect; among the 5 traditional Chinese medicines with hot property, Carthamus tinctorius and Ligusticum chuanxiong can increase the blood flow rate (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05) in the rat models with cold stagnation and blood stasis syndrome, but had no obvious effect to the blood flow rate in the rat models with heat stagnation and blood stasis syndrome. According to the analysis on average blood flow rate, traditional Chinese medicines with natural and cold properties showed similar effect on heat stagnation and blood stasis syndrome and better effect in increasing blood flow rate than those with hot property; those with natural and hot properties showed similar effect and better effect in increasing blood flow rate than those with cold property.

CONCLUSIONUnder the condition of heat stagnation and blood stasis syndrome, traditional Chinese medicines with neutral property have the similar action characteristics with those with cold property; wile under the condition of cold stagnation and blood stasis syndrome, traditional Chinese medicines with neutral property have the similar action characteristics with the Chinese medicinal herbs with hot property. This indicates the action characteristics of "two-way application and conditioned dominance" of traditional Chinese medicines with neutral property to some extent.

Animals ; Blood Circulation ; drug effects ; Blood Coagulation ; drug effects ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Microcirculation ; drug effects ; Rats ; Syndrome

Being a biologic toxin, scorpion toxins have complicate physiologic and pharmalogic actions because of its intricate components. This text reviewed the effect of scorpion toxins on endothelial cell function, platelet function, microcirculation, atherosclerosis, ironic channel, and cardiac function.
Animals ; Endothelial Cells ; metabolism ; Epoprostenol ; metabolism ; Ion Channels ; drug effects ; Microcirculation ; drug effects ; Myocardial Contraction ; drug effects ; Platelet Aggregation ; drug effects ; Scorpion Venoms ; pharmacology ; Tissue Plasminogen Activator ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of dexmedetomidine on renal microcirculatory perfusion in rabbits with renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury rabbit by quantitative analysis of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS).

METHODSTwenty- four New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups (8 in each), including a control group, renal I/R injury group and dexmedetomidine group. In the latter two groups, the right kidney of the rabbits was resected and I/R injury was induced in the left kidney. In dexmedetomidine group, the rabbits received an intraperitoneal dose of 10 µg/kg dexmedetomidine 30 min before renal ischemia, and 24 h after reperfusion, the renal size and renal artery resistance (RI) were measured, and renal cortex perfusion was observed by CEUS. The time-to-peak intensity (TTP), peak signal intensity (PSI), gradient between start frame to peak frame (Grad) and area under the curve (AUC) were quantitatively analyzed using the time-intensity curves. Pathological changes of the kidney were also observed.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the rabbits in I/R and dexmedetomidine groups showed distinct changes of the renal size with obvious renal pathologies. RI, PPT and AUC all increased, and PSI and Grad decreased significantly in I/R and dexmedetomidine groups (P<0.05). Compared with I/R group, obvious improvement of the renal size and renal pathologies were observed in dexmedetomidine group, which showed significantly decreased RI, PPT and AUC and increased PSI and Grad (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONCEUS combined with the time-intensity curve parameters allows quantitative and dynamic analysis of the protective effects of dexmedetomidine on microcirculatory perfusion in rabbits with renal I/R injury.

Animals ; Dexmedetomidine ; pharmacology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Kidney ; blood supply ; drug effects ; Kidney Diseases ; drug therapy ; Microcirculation ; drug effects ; Rabbits ; Renal Artery ; drug effects ; Reperfusion Injury ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo explore in vivo effects of Qizheng-xiaotong plaster on soft tissue injury in rabbit ears at different periods and to offer theoretical bases for clinical application.

METHODSThe experimental models of soft tissue injury in ears were produced in 10 New Zealand white rabbits, and the ears were divided into three groups at the 1st, 2nd, 3rd week. The normal group and treatment group were given the Qizheng-xiaotong plaster extract, and the model group with normal saline. Microscopic analysis, digital collection system, infrared temperature tester and thickness tester were applied to determine the changes of soft tissue injury in local microcirculation and the temperature change after 0, 0.5, 3 and 5 hours, and swelling change at 1 to 5 days respectively.

RESULTSAt the 3rd hour, blood velocity speeded up in normal group and model group, and it lasted for two hours in model group. As compared with model group, it slowed down to original level in treatment group at the 5th hour and the soft tissue swelling decreased from the 3rd to the 5th day as well.

CONCLUSIONThe application of Qizheng-xiaotong plaster is effective in preventing further soft tissue oedema and haematoma. It can make the soft tissue swelling decreased at chronic stage compared with that at acute stage.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Ear, External ; drug effects ; injuries ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Microcirculation ; drug effects ; Rabbits ; Soft Tissue Injuries ; drug therapy ; physiopathology

To investigate the effects of the free radical, 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picylhydrazyl, on cochlear blood flow, 20 guinea pigs were divided into 3 groups at random, 6 for control group, 6 for 1 mmol/L group and 8 for 0.1 mmol/L group. 2 microliters vehicle or drugs were dropped into round window membrane (RWM). Cochlear microcirculation was monitored by laser Doppler flowmeter (LDF), and mean arterial blood flow (MABP), which was transferred by pressure conductor sensor and preamplifier, was simultaneously recorded on the computer. Our results showed that MABP was stable throughout the experiment. Cochlear blood flow (CBF) increased by 10.32% (P < 0.05) in 1 mmol/L group, and decreased by 4.89% in 0.1 mmol/L group (P < 0.05). In control group cochlear microcirculation showed no significant changes. It is concluded that DPPH exerted effects on cochlear microcirculation.
Blood Flow Velocity ; Cochlea/*blood supply ; Free Radicals/pharmacology ; Laser-Doppler Flowmetry ; Microcirculation/drug effects ; Picrates/*pharmacology ; Random Allocation

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of polyethylene oxide (PEO) on microcirculation of normal rat hindlimb skeletal muscle.

METHODSSixteen male Wistar rats were anesthetized and equally and randomly divided into PEO group (administered with 10 ppm PEO solution) and control group (administered with equal volume of normal saline). The PEO solution or saline was separately injected through the caudal vein at a constant rate of 5 ml/h for 20 minutes. Using short axis view at right mid thigh region, contrast-enhanced ultrasonography was performed before and after the administration of solution. Electrocardiogram, blood pressure, and central venous pressure were also monitored.

RESULTSIn the PEO group, after the administration of PEO, microcirculation capillary volume increased from (20.78±2.63) dB to (22.40±1.94) dB (P=0.023), red blood cell velocity from (0.27±0.08) s-1 to (0.35±0.13) s-1(P=0.010), and capillary blood flow from (5.65±1.81) dB/s to (7.91±3.28) dB/s (P=0.013). In the control group, there were no significant changes in microcirculation capillary volume, red blood cell velocity, and capillary blood flow (all Pþ0.05) after the injection of normal saline. The changes of heart rates, blood pressures and central venous pressure were not significant after the administration of either PEO or saline (all Pþ0.05).

CONCLUSIONPEO can remarkably increase capillary volume, red blood cell velocity, and capillary blood flow in normal rat hindlimb skeletal muscle.

Animals ; Hindlimb ; blood supply ; Male ; Microcirculation ; drug effects ; Muscle, Skeletal ; blood supply ; Polyethylene Glycols ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo study the influence of transcranial high-voltage electrical burn (HEB) on rheological changes of leukocytes in mesentery capillary in rats and the therapeutic effects of ulinastatin.

METHODSForty-five SD rats were divided into control (C), electrical burns (EB), and ulinastatin treatment (UT) groups according to the random number table, with 15 rats in each group. Model of HEB was reproduced in rats of EB and UT groups with voltage regulator and experimental transformer, and then rats in EB group was intraperitoneally injected with 2 mL isotonic saline while rats in UT group was intraperitoneally injected with 2 mL ulinastatin (2 x 10(4) U/kg). Rats in C group received sham burn with the same treatment as used in EB group but without electric current. Rheological changes of leukocytes in mesentery capillary were observed with Bradford microscope at 15 minutes before HEB and 5 minutes, 1, 2, 4, 8 hour (s) after HEB (PHM or PHH), including counting the number of rolling leukocytes, leukocytes rolling speed, the number of leukocytes adherent to mesentery capillary, total leukocyte-endothelium contact time (TLECT). Data were processed with t test.

RESULTS(1) The number of rolling leukocytes from PHM 5 to PHH 8 was increased in EB group and UT group as compared with that at 15 minutes before HEB, especially at PHM 5 [(51.4 +/- 3.2), (24.6 +/- 1.9) cells/min, respectively] which were higher than that in C group [( 1.1 +/- 0.7) cells/min, with t value respectively 59.28, 44.99, P values all below 0.05]. The number in UT group at each time point after burn was less than those in EB group, especially at PHM 5 (t = 27.97, P < 0.05). (2) Compared with that at 15 minutes before HEB, the rolling speed of leukocytes from PHM 5 to PHH 8 was slow in EB group and UT group, especially at PHM 5 [(90 +/- 9), (175 +/- 13) microm/s, respectively] which were slower than that in C group [(277 +/- 12) microm/s, with t value respectively 47.97, 21.59, P values all below 0.05]. The rolling speed in UT group from PHM 5 to PHH 8 was faster than that in EB group, especially at PHM 5 (t = 20.55, P < 0.05). (3) Compared with that at 15 minutes before HEB, the number of leukocytes per 100 micrometer capillary from PHM 5 to PHH 8 was increased in EB group and UT group, especially at PHM 5 (23.27 +/- 3.20, 5.80 +/- 1.61, respectively) which were higher than that in C group (0, with t value respectively 28.16, 13.95, P values all below 0.05). The number of adhered leukocytes in UT group at each time point after burn was less than that in EB group, especially at PHM 5 ( t = 18.89, P < 0.05). (4) Compared with that at 15 minutes before HEB, TLECT from PHM 5 to PHH 8 was increased in EB group and UT group, especially at PHM 5 [(14.45 +/- 1.99), (3.66 +/- 0.96) s/min, respectively] which were longer than that in C group (0 s/min, with t value respectively 28.12, 14.77, P values all below 0.05). TLECT in UT group from PHM 5 to PHH 8 was shorter than that in EB group, especially at PHM 5 (t = 18.91, P < 0.05). (5) No rolling leukocyte or wall-adherent leukocyte was found in blood flow of arterioles or capillaries of rats in three groups at each time point.

CONCLUSIONSTranscranial HEB can lead to abnormal rheological changes of leukocytes in mesentery capillary in rats, and the changes can be ameliorated by ulinastatin.

Animals ; Burns, Electric ; physiopathology ; Capillaries ; Glycoproteins ; pharmacology ; Leukocyte Rolling ; Leukocytes ; drug effects ; Male ; Mesentery ; blood supply ; drug effects ; Microcirculation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of Shenghua decoction on hemorheology, thrombosis and microcirculation, and explore its approach and mechanism.

METHODThe main hemorheological indexes and endothelial function were detected in acute stress blood stasis rats. The thrombus wet weight and thrombus dry weight were measured in the rat model of venous thrombosis, and the inhibitory rates in the formation of venous thrombosis were calculated. The number of paralysis or dead after 1-15 min was calculated in mice, induced by tail intravenous injection of a mixture of collagen and Epinephrine. Blood flow and the across netting were also determined on capillary vessel of uterus microcirculation.

RESULTShenghua decoction reduce blood viscidity of the rats, reduce the thrombosis of the murine, and promote the microcirculation of the uterus in rats.

CONCLUSIONShenghua decoction has the ability of blood-activating and stasis-eliminating. It also has an anti-thrombotic effect and can promote microcirculation.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Hemorheology ; drug effects ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Microcirculation ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Thrombosis ; prevention & control ; Uterus ; blood supply

This study was aimed to assess the effect of Shenfu injection on different circulation state. Using a microcirculation microscope system, we observed mice's auricle micro-artery diameter, density of capillary, blood velocity in different circulation state (i.e. normal state, epinephrine or endotoxin induced microcirculation disturbance state) after administering Shenfu injection into their caudal vein, and we compared the Shenfu group with Shenmai group and Dexamethasone group. The results showed that Shenfu injection causes the auricle microartery diameter to enlarge and the density of capillary and blood velocity to increase in different microcirculation state, and such effect is especially notable on the epinephrine induced microcirculation disturbance group and endotoxin induced microcirculation disturbance group; the effect of Shenfu injection is stronger than that of Shenmai injection and similar to Dexamethasone injection. In addition, Shenfu injection was shown to have remarkable effect on resisting the lowering of limb temperature when the mice are attacked by endotoxin.
Animals ; Blood Flow Velocity ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Ear ; blood supply ; Endotoxins ; toxicity ; Epinephrine ; toxicity ; Female ; Injections ; Male ; Mice ; Microcirculation ; drug effects ; physiology