Danshen (Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae) reverses renal injury induced by myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the protection of danshen (Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae) (SM) injection in myocardial infarction (MI) induced renal damage.

METHODS

Forty male C57 mice were divided into control group, MI group and SM group. In MI group, the left coronary artery was occluded for 8 weeks; the same procedure was used for the SM group, with the additional step of SM (0.2 mL) administered intraperitoneally for 56 days. Before surgery and 8 weeks later, transthoracic echocardiography was performed and urine protein and albumin was measured. At the end of the time, all mice were killed and kidneys removed for reactive oxygen species (ROS) and fibrosis analysis, plasma was collected for blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine determination.

RESULTS

MI slightly decreased renal function and increased production of ROS, accompanied with renal fibrosis. Administration of SM reduced production of ROS and increased renal function, it also reduced renal fibrosis.

CONCLUSION

MI plays a causal role in renal injury and SM exerts renal-protective effects, probably by its antioxidant activities.