Objective: To study the effects of astragalus polysaccharide (APS) on intercellular adhesion molecular-1(ICAM-1)

vascular cell adhesion molecule 1(VCAM-1) and p38 MAPK signal pathway in myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury. Method: Wistar rats were randomly divided into 7 groups:normal

model

APS(20 mg·kg-1)

APS(40 mg·kg-1)

SB203580(5 mg·kg-1)

APS+SB203580(APS 20 mg·kg-1

SB203580 5 mg·kg-1)

APS+SB203580(APS 40 mg·kg-1

SB203580 5 mg·kg-1). After 30 days of administration

the left anterior descending coronary artery ligation was performed. Western blot method was used for the determination of myocardial ICAM-1

VCAM-1

p38

p-p38 protein expression. Result: Compared with ICAM-1

VCAM-1

p-p38 of protein of the sham operation group(0.535 0±0.076 5

0.345 3±0.035 6

0.576 7±0.015 0)

in ischemia reperfusion model group ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 protein expression (1.367 3±0.131 9

0.810 3±0.051 3)and signaling pathway of protein p-p38 protein(1.110 7±0.046 1) were significantly increased (P<0.01). Compared with a model group

APS combination with SB203580 showed a stronger inhibition on ICAM-1

VCAM-1

p-p38 protein(0.870 2±0.120 7

0.474 5±0.047 2

0.807 5±0.076 2) expression than the single application of APS (1.225 1±0.086 5

0.657 3±0.062 1

1.056 3±0.070 3)or action of SB203580(1.013 1±0.073 1

0.562 3±0.045 6

0.942 3±0.035 8) (P<0.01

P<0.05). Conclusion: APS combination with SB203580

can inhibit the p38 pathway by down-regulating ICAM-1

VCAM-1 expressionin the endothelial plasma membrane

which contributed to the protection of ischemia and reperfusion injury.