Objective: To test the effect of asarinin, the extract of Herba Asari, on the acute heart transplantation rejection and the expression of adhesion molecule.
Method: Asarinin was extracted from herba asari. 64 SD rats undergone heart transplantation were divided into four groups: group A (control group), group B (Cyclosporine A treated), group C (Asarinin treated), and group D (1/2 CsA and 1/2 Asarinin). Some rats were used to examine survival time (n = 8) and the others were used to observe the pathological injury and the expression level of interrellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-I (VCAM-1) by using immunohistochemistry.
Result: Asarinin could prolong the survival time of allografts, which was similar to CsA group (P > 0.05). Asarinin could relieve the damage of cardiomyocytes of the transplanted. Asarinin could also decrease the level of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in the allografts.
Conclusion: Asarinin may play important roles in suppressing the immune rejection, prolong the allografts survival time and protect the donor organ, which was similar to CsA. The expression level of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 is increased in suppressing the course of acute rejection and asarinin can inhibit their expression level. Asarinin can decrease the dosage of CsA.