Abstract：OBJECTIVE: Salviae miltiorrhizae (RSM), a Chinese medicine known as Dan-shen with the effect of promoting blood flow,has been used as a treatment for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. This study aimed to investigate the prophylactic effect of RSM on acute gastric mucosal injury in young rats. METHODS: Gastric stress ulcer were induced by water immersion restraint stress in 30 Sprague-Dawley young rats. The 30 rats were randomly assigned into Control and Experimental groups. The Experimental group was further subdivided into Normal saline and RSM groups according to the different medicines injected before stress. The rats of the RSM group were randomly administered 2 times, 4 times or 6 times by intraperitoneal injection of RSM, 2 mL each time 8 hourly. The Control group received no treatment. The histological changes of gastric mucosa and gastric mucosal ulcer index (UI) were observed. RESULTS: There was no difference in the UI between the Normal saline and Control groups.RSM pretreatment alleviated the gastric mucosal injuries. The rats that received 4 or 6 times RSM injection had significantly lower UI than the Control group. CONCLUSIONS: RSM has protective effects against gastric stress ulcer in young rats.
