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Planta Med 2013; 79(09): 744-752
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1328588
Biological and Pharmacological Activity
Original Papers
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen) Injection Ameliorates Iron Overload-Induced Cardiac Damage in Mice

Jian-ping Zhang   *
1   Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, P. R. China
,
Yuan-yuan Zhang   *
1   Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, P. R. China
,
Ying Zhang
1   Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, P. R. China
,
Yong-gang Gao
1   Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, P. R. China
,
Juan-juan Ma
1   Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, P. R. China
,
Na Wang
1   Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, P. R. China
,
Jiang-yan Wang
2   Department of Biochemistry, Bethune Military Medical College, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, P. R. China
,
Yun Xie
1   Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, P. R. China
,
Feng-hua Zhang
3   Department of Diagnostics, School of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, P. R. China
,
Li Chu
1   Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, P. R. China
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 07 November 2012
revised 12 April 2013

accepted 17 April 2013

Publication Date:
22 May 2013 (online)

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Abstract

The traditional Chinese medicinal herb Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza), first recorded in the “Shen Nongʼs Herbal Classic”, has long been used to treat cardiovascular conditions, although the mechanism(s) underlying its effects remain unclear. Here, an iron dextran injection (50 mg · kg−1 per day) was delivered intraperitoneally to establish a mouse model for investigating the ameliorative effects of Danshen injection (low dose at 3 g · kg−1 per day or high dose at 6 g · kg−1 per day) on iron overload-induced cardiac damage. The iron-chelating agent deferoxamine (100 mg · kg−1 per day) was administered as a positive control. The main constituents of Danshen injection, salvianic acid A (danshensu), protocatechuic aldehyde, and salvianolic acid B, were quantified at concentrations of 2.15, 0.44, and 1.01 mg · mL−1, respectively, using HPLC with UV detection. Danshen injection significantly lowered cardiac iron deposition and the concentration of the lipid oxidation product malondialdehyde, as well as improved cardiac superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase levels in iron-overloaded mice. Serum levels of creatine kinase, creatine kinase isoenzyme, and lactate dehydrogenase in the iron-overloaded mice were significantly elevated (up to ~ 160 %), whereas their activities were downregulated by Danshen injection by 25 ~ 35 % at the high dose and by ~ 20 % at the low dose. Morphological changes of cardiac tissue analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin staining indicated that lesions induced by iron overload could be ameliorated by Danshen injection dose-dependently. Altogether, these results illustrated that the protective effects of Danshen injection were at least in part due to decreased iron deposition and inhibition of lipid peroxidation.

Key words

Salvia miltiorrhiza - Lamiaceae - cardioprotection - antioxidation - HPLC-UV

* These authors contributed equally to this work.


 

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