SCAVENGING EFFECTS OF SALVIA MILTIORRHIZA ON FREE-RADICALS AND ITS PROTECTION FOR MYOCARDIAL MITOCHONDRIAL-MEMBRANES FROM ISCHEMIA-REPERFUSION INJURY

Using low temperature electron spin resonance (ESR) technique, we foun d that Salvia miltiorrhiza injection could scavenge the oxygen free ra dicals generated from ischemia-reperfusion injury in the myocardium as effectively as SOD. Using ESR spin trapping technique we found that o ne of its effective components, Danshensu, could scavenge superoxide a nion free radicals generated from the reaction system of xanthine and xanthine oxidase, and that lipid free radicals generated from lipid pe roxidation of myocardial mitochondrial membranes could be scavenged by another effective component, Tanshinone. The membrane fluidity of the mitochondria isolated from the ischemia-reperfused hearts was studied with the ESR spin labelling technique, and the TBA-method was used to detect the lipid peroxidation. It was found that Danshensu could prot ect the mitochondrial membrane from the ischemia-reperfusion injury an d lipid peroxidation.