Original Articles
Copyright ©2009 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jun 21, 2009; 15(23): 2862-2869
Published online Jun 21, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.2862
Protective effect of Radix Astragali injection on immune organs of rats with obstructive jaundice and its mechanism
Rui-Ping Zhang, Xi-Ping Zhang, Yue-Fang Ruan, Shu-Yun Ye, Hong-Chan Zhao, Qi-Hui Cheng, Di-Jiong Wu
Rui-Ping Zhang, Department of Orthopaedics or Department of Radiology, First Clinical Medical College of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, Shanxi Province, China
Xi-Ping Zhang, Department of General Surgery, Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, China
Yue-Fang Ruan, Shu-Yun Ye, Di-Jiong Wu, Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang Province, China
Hong-Chan Zhao, Department of test, Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, China
Qi-Hui Cheng, Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, China
Author contributions: Zhang RP, Zhang XP and Cheng QH designed the research; Zhang RP, Zhang XP, Ruan YF, Cheng QH and Ye SY wrote the paper; Zhao HC collected the analyzed data; Wu DJ picked the color figures in the paper; all authors contributed to the intellectual context and approved the final version.
Correspondence to: Dr. Rui-Ping Zhang, Department of Orthopaedics or Department of Radiology, First Clinical Medical College of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, Shanxi Province, China. zxp99688@vip.163.com
Telephone: +86-351-4639504
Fax: +86-351-8263016
Received: March 27, 2009
Revised: April 15, 2009
Accepted: April 22, 2009
Published online: June 21, 2009
Abstract

AIM: To observe the protective effect of Radix Astragali injection on immune organs (lymph nodes, spleen and thymus) of rats with obstructive jaundice (OJ) and its mechanism.

METHODS: SD rats were randomly divided into sham-operation group, model control group and Radix Astragali treatment group. On days 7, 14, 21 and 28 after operation, mortality rate of rats, pathological changes in immune organs, expression levels of Bax and nuclear factor (NF)-κB p65 proteins, apoptosis indexes and serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α level in spleen and thymus were observed, respectively.

RESULTS: Compared to model control group, the number of dead OJ rats in Radix Astragali treatment group decreased (P > 0.05). The TNF-α level (27.62 ± 12.61 vs 29.55 ± 18.02, 24.61 ± 9.09 vs 31.52 ± 10.95) on days 7 and 21, the pathological severity score for spleen [0.0 (0.0) vs 0.0 (2.0) on days 7 and 14 and for lymph nodes [0.0 (1.0) vs 1.0 (2.0), 1.0 (0.0) vs 2.0 (1.0)] on days 21 and 28, the product staining intensity and positive rate of Bax protein in spleen [0.0 (0.0) vs 1.0 (2.0), 0.0 (1.0) vs 2.0 (1.5) and thymus [0.0 (0.0) vs 1.0 (2.0), 0.0 (1.0) vs 2.0 (1.5)] on days 14 and 28, the apoptotic indexes [0.0 (0.0) vs 0.0 (0.01)] in spleen and thymus [0.0 (0.0) vs 0.0 (0.01) on days 14 and 21 were significantly lower in Radix Astragali treatment group than in model control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Radix Astragali has protective effects on immune organs of OJ rats by relieving the pathological changes in immune organs, reducing TNF-α level and inhibiting Bax expression and apoptosis in spleen and thymus.

Keywords: Radix Astragali; Traditional Chinese medicine; Obstructive jaundice; Rat; Immune organ; Tumor necrosis factor-α; Bax; Nuclear factor-κB; Apoptosis; Tissue microarry