Abstract: AIM: To investigate the effects of ulinastatin for injection (UTI) on the levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10, and ultrastructure of brain tissue in rats after cardiopulmonary-cerebral-resuscitation (CPCR).METHODS: 24 SD rats were randomly divided into three groups (n =8 in each): control group, resuscitation group and UTI group. The levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 were quantified by isotope radio immunoassay at different time before and after resuscitation, and the changes of ultrastructure of brain tissue were observed after the experiment.RESULTS: The plasma concentrations of TNF-α and IL-6 increased (P<0. 01, or P<0. 05) and the plasma concentration of IL-10 decreased (P<0. 05) after CPCR in the rats. There was no significant change (P > 0. 05) at different time points in the control group and in the plasma concentrations of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 after CPCR in UTI group (P >0. 05). The plasma concentration of TNF-αshowed a significant change in 30 minutes, 2 hours and 4 hours compared with the resuscitation group, and the plasma concentration of IL-10 in 30 minutes and 6 hours compared with the resuscitation group. The observation of the ultrastructure in brain tissue showed that the injury was relieved obviously in the UTI group than the resuscitation group.CONCLUSION: UTI may prevent the damage of organs caused by CPCR by inhibiting TNF-αand IL-6, and enhancing IL-10.

Key words: ulinastatin for injection (UTI), cardiopulmonary-cerebral-resuscitation, tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-6(IL-6), interleukin-10(IL-10), ultrastructure