Objective To observe the effects of
Chinese medicine HuoXueShengJi on the protein expression of myosin Ⅱb heavy chain,collagen-Ⅰ
and collagen-Ⅲ during the healing process after acute skeletal muscle contusion. Methods One hundred and eight male Sprague-Dawley rats contused by specific device at posterior lower extremity muscle were randomly divided into the group of
Chinese medicine HuoXueShengJi,group of IGF-Ⅰ and group of physiological saline placebo. Changes of protein levels of myosin Ⅱb heavy chain,collagen-Ⅰ and collagen-Ⅲ were observed by semi-quantitative immunohistochemistry. Results (1) After
acute contusion of skeletal muscle, the protein expression of MHC-Ⅱb, collagen-Ⅰ and collagen-Ⅲ in the injured rat muscle of three groups decreased greatly(P < 0.01)at the beginning of injured and then increased gradually. (2) During the skeletal muscle healing process, the final level of the protein expression of MHC-Ⅱb in the group of Chinese medicine HuoXueShengJi was markedly higher than that in the physiological saline placebo group(P < 0.01)and lower than that in the IGF-Ⅰ group(P < 0.05). When the level of the protein expression of MHC-Ⅱb in three groups was increased to a certain level, it maintained at that level which was lower than normal. (3) During the skeletal muscle healing process, the protein expression level of collagen-Ⅰ in three groups all reached their peak levels which were higher than normal at the 21st day after muscle contusion, then the protein expression level of collagen-Ⅰ in the groups of physiological saline placebo and IGF-Ⅰ maintained at such peak level, however the protein expression level of collagen-Ⅰ in the group treated with Chinese medicine HuoXueShengJi dropped down to a relatively stable level and then maintained at such level which was still higher than normal. Both the peak and final level of the protein expression of collagen-Ⅰ in the group treated with Chinese medicine HuoXueShengJi was markedly lower than that in the group of physiological saline placebo(P < 0.01)and had no significant difference with that in the group of IGF-Ⅰ(P > 0.05). (4) During the skeletal muscle healing process, the protein expression level of collagen-Ⅲ in three groups all reached their peak levels which were higher than normal at the 14th day after muscle contusion then decreased and finally maintained at a relatively stable level which was higher than normal. Both the peak and final level of the protein expression of collagen-Ⅲ in the group treated with Chinese medicine HuoXueShengJi were significantly lower than that in the group treated with physiological saline placebo(P < 0.01)and had no marked difference with that in the group treated with IGF-Ⅰ(P > 0.05). Conclusion During the healing process following acute skeletal muscle contusion, Chinese medicine HuoXueShengJi could efficiently increase the protein expression of MHC-Ⅱb, and decrease the excessive protein expression of collagen-Ⅰ and collagen-Ⅲ and thus promote the healing process of the injured muscle.