Protective Role of Shenfu on Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury of Rat Liver Grafts

Aims. We sought to investigate the protective role of Shenfu (SF),a traditional Chinese formulation comprising Radix Ginseng and Radix Aconitum Carmichaeli on ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat liver grafts. Methods. Ninety-six male Sprague Dawley rats were used as donors (n = 48) and recipients (n = 48) of orthotopic liver transplantation. They were randomly divided into a control group with donor livers injected with saline through the portal vein immediately after recovery versus the SF group, with livers injected with SF. Each group was further divided into 3 subgroups equally to obtain bood and hepatic tissues samples at 2, 4, and 6 hours reperfusion. Results. At each phase, the SF group, showed significantly higher bile production (P < .05) with lower serum levels of alanine aminotransferase and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and nuclear factor-kappa B expression in the hepatic tissues. (P < .05). SF group hepatic tissues showed less injury compared with controls. Conclusion. SF injection seemed to protect hepatocytes from injury during the early reperfusion phase and to improve subsequent rat liver graft function.