Abstract: Objective To study the protective effect of panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) against apoptosis of the superficial
cells of rat renal cortex following femoral fracture in rats. Methods Ninety Wistar rats were randomized into 3 groups, namely
the fracture group (n=36), fracture with PNS treatment group (n=36), and normal control group (n=18). At 1, 6, 12, 24, 36, and
48 h after femoral fracture, 6 rats from first two groups and 3 from the control group were sacrificed to observe renal
pathologies with HE-staining. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization were used to detect Bcl-2 and Bax expression,
and TUNEL staining was employed to detect the distribution of apoptotic cells. Results In the fracture group, the renal cortex
showed telangiectasia and granular degeneration of proximal tubule, which were lessened in the PNS treatment group.
Compared with the control group, the fracture group showed significantly increased Bcl-2 and Bcl-2 mRNA expressions in the
renal cortex at 1-12 h (P<0.01) and increased Bax protein expression at 12-36 h (P<0.01) with increased Bax mRNA expression at
24-48 h (P<0.01). In PNS treatment group, Bcl-2 protein expression at 1 h and Bcl-2 mRNA expression at 12-48 h were
significantly higher (P<0.01), but Bax protein and mRNA expressions at 24-48 h were significantly lower (P<0.01) than those in
the fracture group. Conclusion Femoral fracture obviously affects Bcl-2 and Bax protein and mRNA expressions in the
superficial cells of the renal cortex, PNS can suppress the cell apoptosis by down-regulating Bax expression and up-regulating
Bcl-2 expression.