Effect of drageny I on blood rheology and oxidative damage of myocardium in rats under simulated microgravity

It is the first time to investigate effects, on the blood rheology and the protection on oxidative damage in myocardium in tail-suspended rats of Drageny I, which is a kind of rare TCM herbs. SD rats are randomly divided into three groups: control group, model group and drug group. The blood rheology and the oxidative damage (the level of H₂O₂, MDA and T-SOD) of myocardium are examined in ways as follows: veinal blood and myocardium test after 5 d and 21 d tail-suspension respectively. Compared with the model group, the hematocrit and the level of myocardium MDA in drug group decrease significantly after 5 d of tail-suspension. Red blood cell maximum deformation index, whole blood viscosity, the level of H₂O₂ and T-SOD of myocardium show no significant changes. After 21 d of tail-suspension, whole blood viscosity of the drug group decreases significantly while red blood cell maximum deformation index increases remarkably. Other indexes show recovery tendency. Drageny I significantly inhibits the increase in hematocrit and blood viscosity while increasing the red blood cell maximum deformation index in tail-suspended rats. It also shows protective effects on the myocardium from oxidative stress in rats under the simulated microgravity condition.