Protective effect of the traditional Chinese medicine xuesaitong on intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats

Objective: We investigated the effect of xuesaitong on intestinal barrier dysfunction and related mechanisms in a rat model for intestinal ischemia-reperfusion. Methods: Rats were divided into sham-operated, disease-model and Xuesaitong-treated groups. In the disease-model and Xuesaitong-treated rats an intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) model was introduced, which was created by a temporary obstruction of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA). The xuesaitong group was pre-treated with injections into the abdominal cavity prior to the generation of the IRI model. Tissue changes were evaluated using H&E staining and electron microscopy. Samples were analyzed at 0, 3 and 24 h post IRI. Ascites volumes as well as small intestinal mucosa bleeding, injury scores, wet to dry weight ratios, and propulsions were evaluated. Apoptotic rates were determined with TUNNEL assays. Blood serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels were measured using ELISA, and Bcl-2 and caspase-3 expression in small intestinal mucosa measured using immunohistochemistry. Results: We determined a significant increase of pathological damage to small intestinal tissues, intestinal wet to dry ratios, ascites volume, TNF-alpha levels, apoptosis rates of small intestinal mucosa, and expression of Bcl-2 and caspase-3 proteins in the disease-model group compared to the sham-operated group (P < 0.001), and intestinal motility was significantly decreased (P < 0.001). However, comparisons between disease-model and xuesaitong pre-treated animals revealed, that in the treatment group these changes occurred in significant less severities. Conclusions: Xuesaitong can effectively alleviate intestinal barrier dysfunction caused by ischemia-reperfusion injury by reducing TNF-alpha, up-regulating Bcl-2 and down-regulating caspase-3 expression, in addition to increasing peristalsis.