Abstract: AIM: To explore protective and therapeutic effects of the shenfu injection (SF)against renal ischemia reperfusionand and its possible mechanisms by studying the impact of SF on P38 mitogen activated protein kinase (P38MAPK), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)and intercellular adhensive molecule-1 (ICAM-1).METHODS: 36male SD rats were randomly divided into control group, ischemia reperfusion (IR)group and SF group.Rats were subjected to left renal pedicle occlusion followed by reperfusion with contralateral nephrectomy.The expression of P38MAPK and ICAM-1 were evaluated by Imunohistochemistry.The expression of TNF-α in the kidney tissue and plasma were analyzed by enzymelinked immunoadsordent assay (ELISA).RESULTS: The expression of P38MAPK and ICAM-1, concentration of TNF-αin IR group were higher than that in the control group (P < 0.01).The expression of P38MAPK and ICAM-1, and concentration of TNF-αin SF group were lower than that in the IR group(P <0.01).CONCLUSION: The SF injection can downregulate the expression of TNF-αand ICAM-1 through inhibiting P38MAPK.SF has an important role in a renoprotective therapeutic regimen.

Key words: renal ischemia reperfusion, the shenfu injection, tumor necrosis factor-α, P38 mitogen activated protein kinase, intercellular adhensive molecule-1