Hydroxysafflor yellow A attenuates the expression of inflammatory cytokines in acute soft tissue injury

We examined the effect of hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) on the inflammatory response to strike-induced acute soft tissue injury in rats. Soft tissue injury was induced in rat leg muscles using a strike hammer, followed by intraperitoneal administration of HSYA at 16, 32, or 64 mg/kg. After 24 h, the rats were anaesthetized, blood and muscle samples were taken. Plasma levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1 beta, and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Total RNA and protein were isolated from muscle tissue to determine the mRNA levels of IL-6, IL-1 beta, TNF-alpha, vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1, and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, and the protein level of phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Nuclear factor (NF)-kappa B expression was determined by muscle histopathology and immunohistochemistry. HSYA attenuated pathologic changes instrike-induced soft tissue inflammation. Treatment with HSYA also alleviated strike-induced increases in TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6, VCAM-1, and ICAM-1mRNA levels and inhibited the increased activation of NF-kappa B and phosphorylation of p38 MAPK in muscle tissue. These findings suggest that HSYA effectively inhibits strike-induced inflammatory signal transduction in rats.