RESUMO
AIM AND METHODS: To assess the myocardial effects of Salvia Miltiorrhiza (SM) injection against hypoxia-reoxygenation injury, 31P NMR was used to trace the time courses of high energy phosphates (HEP) content and intracellular pH (pHi) of the isolated perfused rat hearts under hypoxia (30 min) and subsequent reoxygenation (40 min). RESULTS: It was discovered that SM significantly preven-ted the decrease in the myocardial HEP content during hypoxia, enhanced the recovery of myocardial phosphocreatine (PCr), adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and the PCr/Pi (inorganic phosphate) ratios during reoxygenation, and lightened the decrease of the myocardial pHi value caused by hypoxia. CONCLUSION: SM improves the myocardial energy metabolism level during prolonged hypoxia and subsequent reoxygenation and protects myocardium against hypoxia/reoxygenation injury. SM significantly attenuates acidosis during hypoxia and prevents the appearance of very acidic areas of the myocardium after reoxygenation.