Protective effects of panaxadiol saponins on cardiac functions in burned rats.

AIM: To study the effects of panaxadiol saponins (PDS) on burn rat heart functions and try to find its mechanisms. METHODS: A 35% skin-full-thickness burn was produced by using napalm in Wistar rats. PDS 30 mg kg-1 was injected i.p. to rats immediately after burn and repeated 2 h before examination. Using the isolated perfused working heart and biochemistry methods, heart rate (HR), cardiac output (CO), coronary flow (CF), left ventricular pressure (LVP), aortic pressure (AP), +/- dp/dtmax, and content of malondialdehyde (MDA), activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in ventricular myocardium homogenate were examined 8 h after burn. RESULTS: After burn, HR, CO, CF, LVP, AP, +dp/dtmax, -dp/dtmax, and SOD activity decreased from 206 bpm, 92 mL min-1 g-1, 26 mL min-1 g-1, 7 kPa, 5.9 kPa, 149 kPa s-1, 73 kPa s-1, 2.9 NU/mg protein to 162 bpm, 72 mL min-1 g-1, 14 mL min-1 g-1, 4 kPa, 2.2 kPa, 77 kPa s-1, 44 kPa s-1, 1.7 NU/mg protein, respectively, and MDA content raised from 0.77 nmol/mg protein to 1.35 nmol/mg protein (P all < 0.05). But in PDS-treated group, above decreased or increased dates restored to 202 bpm, 91 mL min-1 g-1, 25 mL min-1 g-1, 6 kPa, 4.1 kPa, 112 kPa s-1, 62 kPa s-1, 2.8 NU/mg protein, 0.91 nmol/mg protein, respectively (P all < 0.05 vs burn). CONCLUSION: PDS exerts definite protective effects on the cardiac functions after burn injury possibly through its enhancement of SOD activity and the reduction of both the levels of free radicals and lipid peroxides (LPO) of the myocardium.