Effects of Dachengqi ("Equation missing" ) Decoction on the cytoplasmic free calcium in peritoneal macrophages of mice of bacteria peritonitis) Decoction on the cytoplasmic free calcium in peritoneal macrophages of mice of bacteria peritonitis

Abstract

Effects of Dachengqi Decoction (DCQD) on the cytoplasmic free calcium ([Ca2+ ]) in the peritoneal macrophages (PMϕ) of mice were measured with Ca2+ fluorescent indicator Fura-2/Am. Results showed that the level of Ca2+ in PM<p of the mice with bacterial peritonitis induced by injecting Proteus vulgaris and Escherichia coli in resting was obviously increased compared with that of normal saline (NS) group. In the groups of DCQD, the mice after treated with DCQD for 2 days suffered from bacterial peritonitis, and then they were continuously treated with DCQD for 3 days. Under this condition, the levels of PMϕ[Ca2+ ]i, in resting or when the same doses of CaCI2 were added, were obviously decreased compared with that of the peritonitis model group (P < 0.01). Futhermore, the decrease of Ca2+ levels of DCQD groups was dose dependent. This result shows that DCQD has excellent protective effects on the bacterial peritonitis induced by Proteus vulgaris or Escherichia coli.