• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.113-124
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• 2002

Objects: This research was conducted to investigate the protective effect of Bupleuri Radix against ischemic damage using PC12 cells and global ischemia in gerbils, Methods: To observe the protective effect of Bupleuri Radixon ischemic damage, viability and changes in activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase and production of malondialdehyde (MDA) were observed after treating PC12 cells with Bupleuri Radix during ischemic damage. Gerbils were divided into three groups: a normal group, a 5-minute two-vessel occlusion (2VO) group and a Bupleun Radix administered group after 2VO. The CCAs were occluded by microclip for 5 minutes, Bupleuri Radix was administered orally for 7 days after 2VO. Histological analysis was performed on the 7th day. For histological analysis, the brain tissue was stained with 1 % of cresyl violet solution. Results: 1. Bupleuri Radix has a protective effect against ischemia in the CA1 area of the gerbil's hippocampus 7 days after 5-minute occlusion. 2. In the hypoxia/reperfusion model using PC12 cells, the Bupleuri Radix has a protective effect against ischemia in the dose of 0.2{\;}\mu\textrm{g}/ml,2{\;}\mu\textrm{g}/ml{\;}and{\;} 20{\;}\mu\textrm{g}/ml$. 3. Bupleuri Radix increased the activities of glutathione peroxidase and catalase. 4. The increased activity of superoxidedismutase (SOD) by ischemic damage might have been induced as an act of self-protection. This study suggests that Bupleuri Radix has some neuroprotective effect against neuronal damage following cerebral ischemia in vivo with a widely used experimental model of cerebral ischemia in Mongolian gerbils. Bupleuri Radix also has protective effect on a hypoxia/reperfusion cell culture model using PC12 cells. Conclusions: Bupleuri Radix has protective effect against ischemic brain damage during the early stages of ischemia.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.130-135
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• 2006

Objective : After ischemic stroke, partial recovery of function frequently occurs and may depend on the plasticity of axonal connections. Here, we examine whether blockade of the Nogo/NogoReceptor[NgR] pathway might enhance axonal sprouting and thereby recovery after focal brain infarction. Methods : Adult male Sprague Dawley rats weighing $250{\sim}350g$ were used. Left middle cerebral artery occlusion[MCAO] was induced with a intraluminal filament. An osmotic mini pump [Alzet 2ML4, Alza Scientific Products, Palo Alto, CA] for the infusion of NgR-Ecto[310]-Fc to block Nogo/NgR pathway was implanted 1 week after cerebral ischemia. Prior to induction of ischemia, all animals received training in the staircase and rotarod test. Two weeks after biotin dextran amine injection, animals were perfused transcardially with PBS, followed by 4% paraformadehyde/PBS solution. Brain and cervical spinal cord were dissected. Eight coronal sections spaced at 1mm intervals throughout the forebrain of each animal with cresyl violet acetate for determination of infarction size. Images of each section were digitized and the infarct area per section was measured with image analysis software. Results : Histological examination at 11 weeks post-MCAO demonstrates reproducible stroke lesions and no significant difference in the size of the stroke between the NgR[310]Ecto-Fc protein treated group and the control group. Behavioral recovery is significantly better and more rapid in the NgR-Ecto[310]-Fe treated group. Blockade of NgR enhances axonal sprouting from the uninjured cerebral cortex and improves the return of motor task performance. Conclusion : Pharmacological interruption of NgR allows a greater degree of axonal plasticity in response this is associated with improved functional recovery of complicated motor tasks.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.345-353
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• 1997

The effects of crude saponin (SAP) and alkaloid (ALK) fractions of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer on the detrimental effects of electroconvulsive shock (ECS) and scopolamine on passive avoidance response (PAR) were studied in male Sprague-Dawley rats, referring their effects on the neuronal injury and plasticity of hippocampus in response to electrolytic lesion of left entorhinal cortex (ECL). The detrimental ECS effect on PAR was attenuated by pre- and post-treatments with SAP and ALK, respectively, or by pretreatment with aminoguanidine (AG), an inhibitor of diamine oxidase and NO synthase. And the detrimental scopolamine effect on PAR was also inhibited by pre-treatment with ALK or AG, and by post- treatment with SAP or ALK, respectively. On the 7th day after ECL, the brain sections stained by cresyl violet and by acetylcholinesterase (AChE) histochemistry, respectively, showed the chromatolysis and numeral decrease of neurons and the reduction of AChE reactivity in the hippocampus CA1 area and to a lesser extent, in the dentate gyrus. The neuronal cell death of the CA1 area was significantly reduced by SAP, ALK, or AG, and the reduction of AChE reactivity was significantly attenuated by SAP or ALK and to a lesser extent by AG. These results suggests that the protective effect of ginseng SAP and ALK fractions on ECS- or scopolamine-induced impairment of PAR may be ascribed in part to preservation of hippocampal neurons, particularly cholinergic neurons.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.257-263
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• 2010

Visnagin (4-methoxy-7-methyl-5H-furo[3,2-g][1]-benzopyran-5-one), which is an active principle extracted from the fruits of Ammi visnaga, has been used as a treatment for low blood-pressure and blocked blood vessel contraction by inhibition of calcium influx into blood cells. However, the neuroprotective effect of visnagin was not clearly known until now. Thus, we investigated whether visnagin has a neuroprotective effect against kainic acid (KA)-induced neuronal cell death. In the cresyl violet staining, pre-treatment or post-treatment visnagin (100 mg/kg, p.o. or i.p.) showed a neuroprotective effect on KA ($0.1{\mu}g$) toxicity. KA-induced gliosis and proinflammatory marker (IL-$1{\beta}$, TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-6, and COX-2) inductions were also suppressed by visnagin administration. These results suggest that visnagin has a neuroprotective effect in terms of suppressing KA-induced pathogenesis in the brain, and that these neuroprotective effects are associated with its anti-inflammatory effects.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.13-27
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• 2009

This study aimed to validate neuroprotective effect of Chungpaesagan-tang on the early stage of cerebral ischemic damage. Cerebral ischemic damage was induced by the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for 2 hours in the Sprague-Dawley rats. Water extract of Chungpaesagan-tang(8.7g/kg) was administered orally twice at 1 and 4 hours after the MCAO. Neurological score was tested at 3 and 24 hours after the MCAO and Chungpaesagan-tang administration. At 24 hours after the MCAO, infarct volume and edema ratio was evaluated with the TTC staining. Apoptotic cell death in cerebral cortex and caudate putamen was observed with cresyl violet staining and TUNEL labeling. Bax expression in the MCAO rat brain was stained with immunohistochemistry. Chungpaesagan-tang improved neurological and behavioral impairment of the MCAO rats and reduced infarct area, infarct volume and brain edema formation. Chungpaesagan-tang attenuated cell death percentage in cortex penumbra and reduced TUNEL positive cells in cortex penumbra and in caudate putamen of the MCAO rats. Chungpaesagan-tang reduced Bax positive neurons in caudate putamen and reduced c-Fos positive neurons in cortex penumbra of the MCAO rats. Chungpaesagan-tang intensified neuronal HSP72 expression in cortex penumbra of the MCAO rats. In results, Chunpaesagan-tang reduces infarct volume and edema formation through anti-apoptotic effect. This result suggests that Chunapaesagan-tang has an adequate neuroprotective effect on the early stage of cerebral ischemic damage.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.89-96
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• 2004

Objectives : In order to prove the effect of Phospholipase $A_2(PLA_2)$ Herbal-acupuncture, this experimental studies were performed by using rats that had neuronal damage due to the Middle Cerebral Artery Occulsion(MCAO). Methods : Microdialysis probes were implanted into the coordinate of striatum of anesthetized rats which consist of sham-operated 8 rats, MCAO-operated 8 rats and $PLA_2$ Herbal-acupuncture administrated 8 rats before MCAO operating. The $PLA_2$ Herbal-acupuncture(0.5mg/kg) was administrated to rats 30 minutes before having an operation causing the MCAO. The surgical excision lead the cross resected brain to the acute ischemic state. The brain was sliced in 2mm thickness and stained with cresyl violet buffer for the measurement of cerebral infarcted area and volume. Results : Based on the result of the tissue inspection for the cerebral ischemic cell, $PLA_2$ Herbal-acupuncture significantly protect neurocytes. Conclusions : We suggest $PLA_2$ Herbal-acupuncture produces protective effects against the neuronal damage induced by MCAO. Therefore, $PLA_2$ Herbal-acupuncture may prevent delayed neuronal death(DND) in selectively vulnerable focal areas of the brain effectively.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.75-82
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• 2011

Objectives : In this study, we evaluated the effect of Chungganhaeju-hwan(CGHJH) on hydrogen peroxide($H_2O_2$)-induced and ethanol(EtOH)-induced neuronal damage in vitro and in vivo, respectively. Methods:We carried out the anti-oxidant effects of CGHJH against hydrogen peroxide($H_2O_2$)-induced toxicity in HT22 and PC12 cells using thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide. Then, to investigate the protective effect on CGHJH against EtOH-induced memory impairment and hippocampal cell damage in male ICR mice, we performed novel object recognition test(NORT), and analysed the brain tissues after immunohistochemistry and western blotting. Results:CGHJH showed protective effect from $H_2O_2$-induced cell toxicity at doses of $1\sim100{\mu}g$/mL in both HT22 and PC12 cells. CGHJH had also recovery effect from EtOH-induced memory impairment in ICR mice from NORT and it protected hippocampal cells against EtOH toxicity in the result of cresyl violet and NeuN immunoreactivity. Conclusion : These results demonstrate that CGHJH has protective effect in neuronal cells against $H_2O_2$ and EtOH toxicities and this effect could be a main role of recovery effect on EtOH-induced memory loss.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.25-36
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• 2000

Objectives : This study demonstrates the effects of Daejo-hwan on learning and memory impairment induced by L-NAME (75 mg/kg) treatment and on cerebral ischemic damage induced by middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion in rats. Methods : Daejo-hwan emulsion (73.3 mg/100 g/l ml) was administered to rats along a timed study schedule. The Moms water maze was used for learning and memory test of the rats. The MCA was occluded by using the intraluminal thread method. The brain slices were stained by 2 % triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) and 1 % cresyl violet solution. Infarct size, neuron cell number and size in penumbra was measured by using computer image analysis system. Results : 1. The escape latency of the Daejo-hwan treated group decreased significantly with respect to the control group. 2.The memory score of the Daejo-hwan treated group showed increase tendency, And the swimming distance was not different between the normal, the control, and the Daejo-hwan treated group. 3. The infarct size of the Daejo-hwan treated group decreased significantly with respect to the control group. 4. The total infarct volume of the Daejo-hwan treated group showed decrease tendency. And the brain edema index of the Daejo-hwan treated group decreased significantly with respect to the control group. 5. The neuron cell number and cell size in penumbra of the Daejo-hwan treated group increased significantly with respect to the control group. Conclusions : According to the above results, it is supposed that Daejo-hwan is clinically applicable to the vascular dementia.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.68-78
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• 2000

Objective : This research was performed to investigate protective effects of Sophora subprostrata, against ischemic brain damage after a middle cerebral artery(MCA) occlusion. The effect was estimated using histological test, neurobehavioural test, and biochemical test. Methods : Rats(Sprague-Dawley) were divided into four groups: Sham operated group, MCA occluded group, Sophora subprostrata administrated group after MCA occlusion, and Normal group. The MCA was occluded by intraluminal method. Sophora subprostrata was administrated orally twice(l and 4 hours) after middle cerebral artery occlusion. The neurobeavioural test was performed at 3 hours, 6 hours, 9 hours and 24 hours after the surgery by posture reflex test and swimming behavioural test. All groups were sacrificed at 24 hours after the surgery. The brain tissue was stained with 2% triphenyl tetrazolium chioride(TTC) or 1 % cresyl violet solution, to examine effect of Sophora subprostrata on ischemic brain tissue. The blood samples were obtained from the heart of rats. Tumor necrosis factor-a level was measured from sera using Enzyme-Linked Immunoabsorbent Assay(ELISA). Results : The results showed that (1) Sophora subprostrata reduced infarct size and total infarct volume by 54.8% compared to the control group, (2) that neuronal death, which was shown by decrease in cell number and size, was attenuated significantly in the boundary area of the infarction, (3) that serum $TNF-{\alpha}$ㆍlevel was reduced significantly, and finally, there was significant recovery of motor deficit at 3 hours after MCA occluded by Swimming behavioural test. Conclusions :In conclusion, Sophora subprostrata has protective effects against ischemic brain damage at the early stage of ischemia.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.247-251
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• 2007

Changes of single unit activity of CA1 hippocampus region were investigated in anesthetized Mongolian gerbils for six days following transient ischemia. Ischemia was produced immediately before the implantation of micro-wire recording electrodes. In control animals receiving pseudo-ischemic surgery, neither spontaneous neuronal activities ($5.70{\pm}0.4Hz$) nor the number of recorded neurons per animal changed significantly for six days. Correlative firings among simultaneously recorded neurons were weak (correlation coefficient > 0.6) in the control animals. Animals subjected to ischemia exhibited a significant elevation of neural firing at post-ischemic 12 hr ($9.95{\pm}0.9Hz$) and day 1 ($8.48{\pm}0.8Hz$), but a significant depression of activity at post-ischemic day 6 ($1.84{\pm}0.3Hz$) when compared to the activities of non-ischemic control animal. Ischemia significantly (correlation coefficient > 0.6) increased correlative firings among simultaneously recorded neurons, which were prominent especially during post-ischemic days 1, 2 and 6. Although the numbers of spontaneously active neurons recorded from control group varied within normal range during the experimental period, those from ischemic group changed in post-ischemic time-dependent manner. Temporal changes of the number of cells recorded per animal between control group and ischemic group were also significantly different (p = 0.0084, t = 3.271, df = 10). Cresyl violet staining indicated significant loss of CA1 cells at post-ischemic day 7. Overall, we showed post-ischemic time-dependent, differential changes of three characteristics, including spontaneous activity, network relationship and excitability of CA1 cells, suggesting sustained neural functions. Thus, histological observation of CA1 cell death till post-ischemic day 7 may not represent actual neuronal death.