Protective effect and mechanism of ulinastatin on rats with hemorrhagic shock

AIM: To investigate the protective effect of ulinastatin on rats with hemorrhagic shock. METHODS: A prospective, controlled animal study was designed. The model of hemorrhagic shock in rats was produced by Chaudry method. After 60 min, rats were resuscitated by transfusion of shed blood and normal saline, but a half of them were treated with ulinastatin. At different time points after reperfusion, the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in serum were detected. RESULTS: The levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and MDA significantly increased and the activity of SOD decreased. In the ulinastatin-treated groups, the blood pressure and heart rate were obviously improved; the levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and MDA significantly decreased and the activity of SOD had little change after hemorrhagic shock and reperfusion. CONCLUSION: Ulinastatin has a protection effect on rats with hemorrhagic shock by suppressing the production of inflammatory factors and reducing oxidative damage.