Abstract: The oxidative injury model established with H2O2 was used to study the protective effects of Tanshinone IIA on the oxidative damage of HUVECs. The activities of LDH, SOD, NOS and GSH-Px, and the contents of NO and MDA were determined in each experimental groups. The livability of HUVECs was determined by MTT assay and flow cytometry was employed to analysis the influences on the normal and the oxidative injury HUVECs. The results showed that Tanshinone IIA has no cytotoxicity at 10-100 μmol/L of concentration. The ability of protecting HUVECs from oxidative injury was enhanced obviously at more than 20 μmol/L of Tanshinone IIA and the releasing percentage of LDH and the content of MDA were decreased while the activity of NOS, NO, SOD and GSH-PX were increased. The apoptosis and the rate of the death were reduced significantly. Results indicated that Tanshinone IIA could prevent HUVECs from oxidative damage which caused the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.

Key words: Tanshinone IIA, oxidative damage, HUVECs, protective effect