OBJECTIVE: To probe into the effects of tanshinone ⅡA combined with dexmedetomidine on autophagy and apoptosis after renal ischemia reperfusion through AMPK/ULK1 pathway. METHODS: Fifty healthy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: group A（ tanshinone ⅡA + dexmedetomidine）

group B（ dexmedetomidine）

group C（ tanshinone ⅡA）

group D（ ischemia reperfusion model） and group E（ sham surgery group）. The renal ischemia-reperfusion model was established by clamping the bilateral renal pedicles for 45 min.Before ischemia of 30 min

rats in group A were intraperitoneally injected with tanshinone extraction + 25 μg/kg dexmedetomidine

rats in group B were injected intraperitoneally with 25 μg/kg dexmedetomidine

rats in group C were injected intraperitoneally with Danshen injection

rats in group D and E were given the same amount of 0. 9%sodium chloride solution. After reperfusion of 24 h

the pathological changes of renal tissue were observed by HE staining method; the expression of AMPK and ULK1 were determined by Western blot; blood samples were taken to determine serum tumor necrosis factor α（ TNF-α）

interleukin（ IL） 6 and IL-10. RESULTS: The histopathological changes of rats in group A were lighter than those in group D. Apoptosis was not obvious in group E

a large number of apoptotic cells and severe tissue damages were observed in group D

and only scattered apoptotic cells were seen in group A with mild tissue damages. The tissue damages of rats in groups B and C were slight

and a small number of apoptotic cells were visible. Compared with group D

apoptosis index of rats in groups A

B and C decreased significantly

with statistically significant difference（ P<0. 05）. Compared with group D

the expression of AMPK and ULK1 in renal tissues of rats in group A rats decreased significantly

and the differences were statistically significant（ P<0. 05）. Compared with group B

C and D

the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in group A decreased significantly

while the levels of IL-10 increased significantly

with statistically significant difference（ P<0. 05）. CONCLUSIONS: During renal ischemia reperfusion

tanshinone ⅡA combined with dexmedetomidine can reduce the tissue inflammation

decrease the renal cell apoptosis and alleviate the tissue damage

which may be achieved through inhibition of autophagy levels by AMPK/ULK1 pathway.