Antirejection effect of Herba Asari extract in rats after cardiac allograft implantation

We studied the antirejection effect of asarinin, the extract of Herba Asari, in rats that underwent cardiac allograft implantation.

Rats received either olive oil (as a placebo control) or cyclosporine, with various amounts of asarinin or a combination of asarinin and cyclosporine daily through oral administration. 102 recipient SD rats were divided randomly into 7 groups: 1) group A, treated with 8 ml/kg olive oil per day; 2) group B, treated with 2.5 mg/kg cyclosporin A (CsA) each day; 3) group C, treated with 5 mg/kg cyclosporin A (CsA) each day; 4) group D1, treated with 12.5 mg/kg asarinin each day; 5) group D2, treated with 25 mg/kg asarinin each day; 6) group D3, treated with 50 mg/kg asarinin each day; 7) group E, treated with 12.5 mg/kg asarinin and 2.5 mg/kg CsA each day. Allograft survival was observed in each group of rats. On the seventh day posttransplantation; we analyzed weights, pathological lesions, and the levels of interleukin (IL)-2, interferon (IFN)-gamma, IL-4, and IL-10 in peripheral blood.

The survival time of donor hearts in the asarinin groups was significantly prolonged (P < .01) when compared with the control group (7.8 +/- 0.7 days). The weights of rats increased in group C, group D2, group D3, and group E at 7 days after operation. Pathological lesions were significantly less severe. The levels of IL-2 and IFN-gamma decreased remarkably (P < .01), while those of IL-4 and IL-10 were not affected (P > .05) in the asarinin groups (D2 and D3).

Asarinin decreased peripheral blood concentrations of IL-2 and IFN-gamma with prolongation of allograft heart survival.