Protective effects of Salvia miltiorrhizae on the hearts of rats with severe acute pancreatits or obstructive jaundice

To investigate the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of Salvia miltiorrhizae (Danshen) in the treatment of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP)- or obstructive jaundice (OJ)-induced heart injury. A total of 288 rats were used for SAP- (n=108) and OJ-associated (n=180) experiments. The rats were randomly divided into sham-operated, model control, and Salvia miltiorrhizae-treated groups. According to the difference of time points after operation, SAP rats in each group were subdivided into 3, 6 and 12 h subgroups (n=12), whereas OJ rats were subdivided into 7, 14, 21, and 28 d subgroups (n=15). At the corresponding time points after operation, the mortality rates of the rats, the contents of endotoxin and phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) in blood, and pathological changes of the hearts were investigated. The numbers of dead SAP and OJ rats in the treated groups declined as compared with those in the model control group, but not significantly (P > 0.05). The contents of endotoxin (at 6 and 12 h in SAP rats and on 7, 14, 21, and 28 d in OJ rats, respectively) and PLA(2) (at 6 and 12 h in SAP rats and on 28 d in OJ rats, respectively) in the treated group were significantly lower than those in the model control group (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively). Besides, myocardial pathological injuries were mitigated in SAP and OJ rats. In this study, we found that Salvia miltiorrhizae improved myocardial pathological changes, reduced the content of PLA(2) in blood, and decreased the mortality rates of SAP and OJ rats, exerting protective effects on the hearts of the rats.