Effect Of Astragalus Injection On Serum CK, IL-6 And Morphology Of Rat Skeletal Muscle After Acute Contusion

Objective: This study was designed to discuss the mechanism of action of HuangQi on acute muscle injury by observation and taking records of histomorphological changes of experimental rat model after HuangQi injection. This paper aims to provide new ideas of treatment, shorten the cure time of acute muscle injury and reduce the suffering of patients.Method: A total number of 80 eight-week-old healthy male SD rats were studied. Among them, 6 rats were randomly chosen as the normal control group. The remaining rats were hit three times in a row by self-made little subject freefall device to get acute muscle injury models. Then the 72 rats were randomly divided into three groups by computer(n=24). The group I was the blank group(natural healing), the groupII was the contrast group(using normal saline) and the group III was the experimental group(getting HuangQi injection).Then based on different observation time points, each group was further divided into 4 smaller groups(n=6). Between every 24 hours, the group II and the group III were given1 ml normal salineand HuangQi injection(12 g crude drug / kg) separately. The group I were not getting any injections. After modelling, using the biochemical analyser to examine the creatine kinase level in serum on the 2ed, 24 th and 48 th hours separately, using ELISA to detect theinterleukin 6 changes in serum, and observing histomorphological changes.Results: Histomorphological changes as bellows, 1.On the first day after muscle injury, the muscle fibers of three groups of rats were damaged or necrotic, while the mesenchyme were widening and there was large amount of inflame cells.2.On the day 4 to day 7 after injury, the partial damage of group III showed healing trend. On day 4,in the microscope, group III were observed inflame cells between muscle fibers. On day 7, the muscle fibers were observed to be structurally integrate, no fracture and wave-like degeneration, no inflammatory cell infiltration or fat infiltration. while the group I and the group II still appear muscle fiber damage, visible red blood cells and inflammatory cell infiltration under the microscope.3.On the day 10, all the three group were observed to be structurally integrate, no fracture and no inflammatory cell infiltration or fat infiltration. CK levels changes in serum as bellows,1.In the second hour after injury, the CK levels in three groups were all increased and reached a peak. Then showed a downward trend.2.In the 24 hours and 48 hours after injury, the CK level in group III were less than the other two groups, p <0.05, which is statistically significant. 2.After48 hours, the CK level in serum of group III were decreased to normal levels. The CK level in serum of group II was distinctively higher than the normal levels, and higher than the group I, p <0.05.3?IL-6 levels changes in serum as bellows,1.On the first day after injury, the IL-6 levels in three groups were all increased significantly. Then all showed a downward trend.2.On the day 4 and day 7 after injury, the IL-6 levels in serum in group III were less than the other two groups, and very close to normal levels, p <0.05.3.On the day 10 after injuiry, the IL-6 level in serum of group III were decreased to normal levels. The IL-6 levels in serum of the other two groups were still higher than the normal levels.Conclusion:Early adoption of HuangQi injection can shorten the healing time of acute muscle contusion.The mechanism of action could be: 1.The HuangQi injection can reduce the content of skeletal muscle after acute injury of serum CK. 2.The HuangQi injection can reduce inflammatory cells, inhibit the production and release of IL-6 in serum.