[Effect of tetramethylpyrazine in inhibiting respiratory burst of polymorphonuclears and scavenging oxygen free radicals].

Chemiluminescence method was used to measure (1) Active oxygen production induced by respiratory burst of polymorphonuclears (PMN) from human blood stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA); (2) Superoxide (O2-.) induced by xanthine-xanthine oxidase system; (3) Hydroxyl radicals (.OH) produced by Vit C-Cu(2+)-zymosan; and (4) The release of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Effects of tetramethylpyrazine on these active oxygen species were observed. The results showed respiratory burst of PMN was inhibited by tetramethylpyrazine, superoxide and hydrogen peroxide were scavenged by tetramethylpyrazine and their median inhibition concentration (IC50, mumol.L-1) were 5.6 and 7.1 respectively.