Protection of Salvia miltiorrhiza against acute sodium nitrite poisoning in mice

The present study evaluated the protection of Salvia miltiorrhiza injection against acute sodium nitrite poisoning in mice. Forty male C57 mice were randomly divided into control group, sodium nitrite poisoning group (SN), Methylene blue (MB) and Salvia miltiorrhizae (SM) group. In SN, MB and SM group, 200 mg/kg sodium nitrite was injected intraperitoneal. Mice in MB and SM group were given 1.5mg/kg Methylene blue and 0.2ml Salvia miltiorrhiza injection immediately after sodium nitrite injection respectively. Mice in SN and SM group demonstrated higher blood methemoglobin and Serum TNFá and IL-6 but lower IL-10 levels than control group (P< 0.05). HE and TUNEL staining showed developed histological damage accompanied with increased apoptosis in heart, lung, liver and kidney. But the values were much less severe in MB and SM group than those in SN group (P< 0.05). The results of this study showed that Salvia miltiorrhizae injection reduced tissue injury induced by sodium nitrite effectively.