Abstract

Hydroxysafflor Yellow A (HSYA) is one of the most important active ingredients of Carthamus tinctorius L, and has long been widely used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases in China. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of HSYA in protecting the kidney against ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI). Male Wistar albino rats (200-250 g) were unilaterally nephrectomized and subjected to 45-min renal ischaemia and 24-h reperfusion. HSYA (1, 3 and 10 mg/kg, i.v.) or normal saline was administered 15 min prior to ischemia. At the end of the reperfusion period, rats were decapitated and kidney samples were taken for histological examination or determination of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr) levels were measured for the evaluation of renal function. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and TNF-α levels were determined to evaluate generalized tissue damage. The results showed that BUN, Cr, LDH and TNF-α levels, and MDA and MPO activities in the renal tissue increased significantly after IRI (P<0.01) while the GSH content in the renal tissue decreased significantly (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with saline-treated I/R group, BUN, Cr, LDH and TNF-α levels, MDA and MPO activities in HSYA-pretreated group decreased significantly in a dose-dependent manner (P< 0.05 or P< 0.01). The mean histological score in saline-treated I/R group increased markedly compared with that in sham-operated control group (P<0.05), and decreased in HSYA (3 and 10 mg/kg, i.v.) group compared with that in saline-treated I/R group (P<0.05). The results of the present study suggest that HSYA pretreatment may prevent IRI-induced oxidative injury from occurring in the renal tissue of rats.

Keywords: Hydroxysafflor yellow A, Ischemia/reperfusion injury, Renal, Antioxidant enzymes, Malondialdehyde, Myeloperoxidase, hemorrhagic shock, Carthamus tinctorius, renal I/R, Acute renal failure