Effect of Astragalus membranaceus injection on the activity of the intestinal mucosal mast cells after hemorrhagic shock-reperfusion in rats

Background The mechanism of mucosal damage induced by ischemia-reperfusion （IR） after hemorrhagic shock is complex; mast cells （MC） degranulation is associated with the mucosal damage. Astragalus membranaceus can protect intestinal mucosa against intestinal oxidative damage after hemorrhagic shock, and some antioxidant agents could prevent MC against degranulation. This study aimed to observe the effects of astragalus membranaceus injection on the activity of intestinal mucosal mast cells （IMMC） after hemorrhage shock-reperfusion in rats Methods Thirty-two Wistar rats were randomly divided into the normal group, model group, low dosage group, （treated with Astragalus membranacaus injection, 10 g crude medication/kg） and high dosage group （treated with Astragalus membranacaus injection, 20 g crude medication/kg）. The rat model of hemorrhagic shock-reperfusion was induced by hemorrhage for 60 minutes followed by 90 minutes of reperfusion. The animals were administrated with 3 ml of the test drug solution before reperfusion. At the end of study, intestinal pathology, ultrastructure of IMMC, and expression of tryptase were assayed. The levels of malondisldehyde （MDA）, TNF-α, histamine, and superoxide dismutase （SOD） activity in intestine were detected, and the number of IMMC was counted. Results The Chiu＇s score of the rats in the model group was higher than in other groups （P〈0.01）. The Chiu＇s score in the high dosage group was higher than that in the low dosage group （P〈0.05）. Hemorrhage-reperfusion induced IMMC degranulation： Astragalus membranaceus injection attenuated this degranulation. Expression of tryptase and the number of IMMC in the model group increased compared with the other groups （P〈0.01） and was significantly reduced by the treatments of Astragalus membranaceus injection at both doses. There was no significant difference between the two treatment groups （P〉0.05）. MDA content and concentration of TNF-α in the model group were higher than that in the other three groups （P〈0.05）, and the concentration of TNF-α in the low dosage group was higher than that in the high dosage group （P〈0.05）. SOD activity and the concentration of histamine in the model group were lower than the other three groups （P〈0.05）. There was a negative correlation between the Chiu＇s score and the concentration of histamine and a positive correlation between the Chiu＇s score and the concentration of TNF-α and between the SOD activity and the concentration of histamine in the four groups （P〈0.05）. Conclusion Astragalus membranaceus injection may reduce the damage to small intestine mucosa by inhibiting the activated IMMC after hemorrhagic shock.

Astragalus Membranaceus Injection Combined with Conventional Treatment for Viral Myocarditis:A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

Objective：To assess the efficacy and safety of Astragalus membranaceus Injection combined with conventional therapy in the treatment of viral myocarditis.Methods：Randomized controlled trials（RCTs） of A.membranaceus Injection combined with conventional treatment compared with conventional treatment alone were included.Study population characteristics and outcome results were extracted independently by two assessors.Meta-analysis was performed for data available.Results：Six RCTs,involving 639 participants,were included in this study.The methodological quality of the included trials was generally low,and there was high risk of publication bias in the included trials.The total effective rate of A.membranaceus Injection combined with conventional treatment was significantly higher than that of conventional treatment alone.Compared with conventional treatment,the cointervention treatment group showed significant recovery in myocardium enzyme levels and electrocardiography.Two RCTs reported there were no adverse effects from A.membranaceus Injection combined with conventional treatment.Conclusion：A.membranaceus Injection combined with conventional treatment appeared to be more efficacious compared with conventional treatment alone for treating viral myocarditis.However,this conclusion should be cautiously interpreted due to low methodological quality,small sample size,limited number of trials,and high risk of publication bias and other unidentified risks of bias.The safety of A.membranaceus Injection combined with conventional treatment remains uncertain.