Asian Journal
Of Traditional Medicines

Abstract: The protective effect and the possible mechanism of action of red ginseng pulse-activated injection (RPI) on cardiac muscle in septic shock rats were studied. More than sixty healthy Wistar rats were divided randomly into six groups: a sham CLP group, a CLP group, an RPI (17, 8.5, 4.3 g/kg) group and a positive control group (DXGXZSY). To observe the effect of RPI on blood pressure, cardiac muscle, whole blood lactic acid levels and blood-serum NO levels in septic shock rats，cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) was used to reproduce septic shock model. The blood pressure was decreased after the operation compared with that of the sham CLP group. RPI elevated the blood pressure of septic shock rats and decreased the damage in cardiac muscle although at different doses. At the same time RPI also decreased the levels of both whole blood lactic acid and blood-serum NO. Therefore, RPI can protect cardiac muscle from septic shock in CLP rats. The mechanism of action may be related to of its ability to decrease blood-serum NO.

Key words: red ginseng pulse-activating injection, septic shock, cecal ligation and puncture, lactic acid, NO