Objective> To investigate the mechanism of
salvia miltiorrhiza in the early stage treatment of severe acute pancreatitis
(SAP).
The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and histological changes of pancreas, lungs, kidneys, liver and heart were measured after the SAP rats were induced by retrograde injection of 5% sodium taurocholate into hepatopancreatic duct. The changes of those indexes were also measured after salvia miltiorrhiza was injected intramuscularly just after induction of SAP. The levels of MDA in pancreatic, cardiac, hepatic, and renal tissue in SAP group were significantly higher than those in sham operation group, while the levels of SOD were significantly lower in the relevant tissues. The levels of MDA in pancreatic, hepatic and renal tissue in salvia miltiorrhiza group were significantly lower than those in SAP group; while the levels of SOD were significantly higher in the relevant tissues. Lipid peroxidation in multiple organs occurs in the early stage of SAP, which is associated with the decrease of SOD level in the relevant tissues. Salvia miltiorrhiza may attenuate lipid peroxidation in multiple organs of SAP, especially in pancreas, liver and kidneys, and its effect of increasing SOD level in the relevant tissues may account for it.