Protective effect of Shenfu injection on myocardial mitochondria injured by ischemia-reperfusion in rabbits.

The main active components of Shenfu injection (SFI), an extract of traditional Chinese herbs, are ginsenoside and higenamine. Ginsenoside can improve ischemic myocardium metabolism, scavenge free radicals, protect myocardial ultrastructure and reduce Ca~(2+) overload. Higenamine can enhance heart contractility, improve coronary circulation and decrease the effect of acute myocardial ischemia. SFI was found to have had some cardiac protective effect during cardiopulmonary bypass.~(1,2) SFI was added into St. Thomas crystal cardioplegic solution in this study to investigate the protective effect of SFI on ischemic-reperfused rabbit heart and to observe the influence on mitochondrial oxygen free radical (OFR), Ca~(2+) and mitochondrial ultrastructure.