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Objective: To investigate the protective effects and mechanisms of action of dexamethasone and Salvia miltiorrhiza on multiple organs in rats with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). Methods: The rats were divided into sham-operated, model control, dexamethasone treated, and Salvia miltiorrhiza treated groups. At 3, 6, and 12 h after operation, the mortality rate of different groups, pathological changes, Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) protein expression levels in multiple organs (the pancreas, liver, kidneys, and lungs), toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) protein levels (only in the liver), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) protein levels (only in the lung), and terminal deoxynucleotidy transferase mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate (dUTP) nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining expression levels, as well as the serum contents of amylase, glutamate-pyruvate transaminase (GPT), glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine (CREA) were observed. Results: The mortality rate of the dexamethasone treated group was significantly lower than that of the model control group ( P<0.05). The pathological changes in multiple organs in the two treated groups were relieved to different degrees ( P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively), the expression levels of Bax and NF-κB proteins, and apoptotic indexes of multiple organs were reduced ( P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). The contents of amylase, GPT, GOT, BUN, and CREA in the two treated groups were significantly lower than those in model control groups ( P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). The expression level of ICAM-1 protein in the lungs (at 3 and 12 h) in the dexamethasone treated group was significantly lower than that in the Salvia miltiorrhiza treated group ( P<0.05). The serum contents of CREA (at 12 h) and BUN (at 6 h) of the Salvia miltiorrhiza treated group were significantly lower than those in the dexamethasone treated group ( P<0.05). Conclusions: Both dexamethasone and Salvia miltiorrhiza can reduce the inflammatory reaction, regulate apoptosis, and thus protect multiple organs of rats with SAP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To observe the protective effects of Salvia miltiorrhizae injection on multiple organs of rats with SAP or OJ. Two hundred eighty-eight rats were used for SAP-associated experiments and OJ-associated experiments. The rats were randomly divided into sham-operated, model control and treated group. According to the different time points after operation, the SAP rats in each group were subdivided into 3, 6 and 12 h groups while the OJ rats were divided into 7, 14, 21 and 28 days groups. The mortality rates, pathological changes and ICAM-1 (only in lung), TLR4 (only in liver), Bax and NF-κB proteins expression in multiple organs (liver, kidney, lung, intestinal mucosa, spleen, thymus and lymph nodes) were observed, respectively. The mortality rates of treated groups decreased in both SAP and OJ experiments. Compared to model control group, the pathological changes can be seen in treated groups including; (1) the pathological changes of multiple organs in SAP and OJ experiments were improved, the pathological severity scores of kidney (at 6 h), intestinal mucosa (at 12 h), spleen (at 6 and 12 h), thymus (at 3 and 6 h) and lymph nodes (at 3 and 6 h) in SAP experiment and of liver (on 21 and 28 days), lung (21 days), intestinal mucosa (on 21 and 28 days) and spleen (on 21 and 28 days) in OJ experiment significantly declined ( P < 0.05 or P < 0.01); (2) the positive rate of Bax protein in pancreas (at 3 h) and liver (on 6 and 12 h) in SAP experiment and in liver (on 28 days), kidney (on 21 days), and thymus (on 28 days) in OJ experiment were significantly lower ( P < 0.05 or P < 0.01); (3) the positive rate of NF-κB in liver (at 12 h) and kidney (at 6 h) in SAP experiment and in liver (on 21 days), kidney (on 28 days), intestinal mucosa (on 28 days) and thymus (on 14 days) in OJ experiment significantly decreased ( P < 0.05). (4) the positive rate of ICAM-1 in lungs (at 12 h) in SAP experiment was significantly less ( P < 0.05). Salvia miltiorrhizae injection can protect multiple organs of SAP or OJ rats and inhibit the expression of ICAM-1, TLR4, NF-κB and regulate Bax proteins. Salvia miltiorrhizae may relieve the inflammation response and enhance the immunity function of SAP and OJ rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]