Objective      To investigate the protective role of pretreatment of astragalus membranaceus (AE) in rats with small intestinal ischemia reperfusion injury.       Methods      Thirty-two healthy male Wistar rats

weighing 200 to 250 g were divided into 3 groups

sham-operation group (group SH

ope

n the abdomen

without ischemia reperfusion

n=12)

model group (group M

60 min intestinal ischemia followed by 120 min reperfusion

n=8)

and AE pretreatment group (group E

intraperitoneally injected with 20 g/kg AE once per day for 3 consecutive days prior to ischemia reperfusion injury

n=12). The tissue samples of small intestinal mucosa were harvested for pathology evaluation from 4 rats just prior to ischemia from groups SH and E

and 8 rats after intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury from groups SH

M

and E. The contents of MDA

H

2

O

2

and TNF-α

and activities of MPO and SOD in the mucosa were measured. Protein expression levels of gp91

phox

and ICAM-1 in the mucosa were detected by Western blotting.       Results      At the time-point prior to ischemia

the contents of MDA and H

2

O

2

and the protein level of gp91

phox

were significantly decreased in group E as compared with group SH (

P

0.05)

whereas

SOD activity was dramatically higher (

P

0.05). At the time-point after ischemia reperfusion

Chiu’s score

contents of MDA

H

2

O

2

and TNF-α

activity of MPO

and protein expression of gp91

phox

and ICAM-1 were significantly increased

while activity of SOD was significantly decreased compared with those indexes in group SH (

P

0.05). Furthermore

AE pretreatment resulted in significant decreases in above increased indexes

while obvious elevation in above decreased SOD activity (

P

0.05).       Conclusion      AE pretreatment protects small intestine mucosa against ischemia-reperfusion injury by enhancing anti-oxidative capacity.