• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.10-23
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• 2014

Objectives: This study evaluated the effects of Guibi-tang (GBT) on neuronal apoptosis and cognitive impairment induced by beta amyloid ($A{\beta}$), (1-42) injection in the hippocampus of ICR mice. Methods: $A{\beta}$ (1-42) was injected unilaterally into the lateral ventricle using a Hamilton syringe and micropump ($2{\mu}g/3{\mu}{\ell}$, $0.6{\mu}{\ell}/min$). Water extract of GBT was administered orally once a day (500 mg/kg) for 3 weeks after the $A{\beta}$ (1-42) injection. Acquisition of learning and retention of memory were tested using the Morris water maze. Neuronal damage and $A{\beta}$ accumulation in the hippocampus was observed using cresyl violet and Congo red staining. The anti-apoptotic effect of GBT was evaluated using TUNEL labeling in the hippocampus. Results: GBT significantly shortened the escape latencies during acquisition training trials. GBT significantly increased the number of target headings to the platform site, the swimming time spent in the target quadrant, and significantly shortened the time for the 1st target heading during the retention test trial. GBT significantly attenuated the reduction in thickness and number of CA1 neurons, and $A{\beta}$ accumulation in the hippocampus produced by $A{\beta}$ (1-42) injection. GBT significantly reduced the number of TUNEL-labeled neurons in the hippocampus. Conclusion: These results suggest that GBT improved cognitive impairment by reducing neuronal apoptosis and $A{\beta}$ accumulation in the hippocampus. GBT may be a beneficial herbal formulation in treating cognitive impairment including Alzheimer's disease.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.763-774
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• 2010

Objectives : In condition of brain infarction, irreversible axon damage occurs in central nerve system(CNS), because gliosis becomes physical and mechanical barrier to axonal regeneration. Reactive gliosis induced by ischemic injury such as middle cerebral artery occlusion is involved with up-regulation of GFAP and CD81. The current study is to examine the effect of the Uncariae Ramulus et Uncus on CD81 and GFAP expression in the rat brain following middle cerebral artery occlusion. Methods : In order to study ischemic injuries on brain, infarction was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO) using insertion of a single nylon thread, through the internal carotid artery, into a middle cerebral artery. Cresyl violet staining, cerebral infarction size measurement, immunohistochemistry and microscopic examination were used to detect the expression of CD81 and GFAP and the effect on the infarct size and pyramidal cell death in the brain of the rat with cerebral infarction induced by MCAO. Results : The following results were obtained 1. Measuring the size of cerebral infartion induced by MCAO in the rat after injection of Uncariae Ramulus et Uncus showed the size was decreased. 2. Intravenous injection of Uncariae Ramulus et Uncus showed pyramidal cell death protection in the hippocampus in the MCAO rat. 3. Water extract injection of Uncariae Ramulus et Uncus decreased GFAP expression significantly in the MCAO rat. 4. Uncariae Ramulus et Uncus water extract decreased CD81 expression in the MCAO rat. 5. The administration of water extract of Uncariae Ramulus et Uncus induced up-regulation of c-Fos expression significantly compared with MCAO. 6. The admistration of water extract of Uncariae Ramulus et Uncus increased ERK expression significantly compared with MCAO. Conclusion : We observed that Uncariae Ramulus et Uncus could suppress the reactive gliosis, which disturbs the axonal regeneration in the brain of the rat with cerebral infaction after MCAO by controlling the expression of CD81 and GFAP. The effect may be modulated by the up-regulation of c-Fos and ERK. These results suggest that Uncariae Ramulus et Uncus can be a candidate to regenerate CNS injury.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.7-15
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• 2016

Objectives : Polygalae Radix (POL) has an ameliorating effect on learning and memory impairment caused by cerebral hypoperfusion. In regard to POL's action mechanism, this study was carried out to investigate the effects of POL on oxidative damage and neuronal apoptosis induced by cerebral hypoperfusion in rats.Methods : The cerebral hypoperfusion was induced by permanent bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (pBCAO) in Sprague-Dawley rats. POL was administered orally once a day (130 mg/kg of water-extract) for 28 days starting at 4 weeks after the pBCAO. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the brain tissue were measured using ELISA method. Expressions of 4-hydroxynonenal (4HNE) and 8-hydroxy-2'- deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were observed using immunohistochemistry. In addition, neuronal apoptosis was evaluated with Cresyl violet staining, TUNEL labeling, and immunohistochemistry against Bax and caspase-3.Results : POL treatment significantly increased SOD activities and significantly reduced MDA levels in the cerebral cortex. The up-regulations of 4HNE and 8-OHdG expression caused by pBCAO in the CA1 of hippocampus were significantly attenuated by POL treatment. POL treatment also restored the reduction of CA1 thickness and CA1 neurons caused by pBCAO and significantly attenuated the apoptotic markers including TUNEL-positive cells, Bax, and caspase-3 expression in the CA1 of hippocampus.Conclusions : The results show that POL attenuated the oxidative damage in brain tissue and neuronal apoptosis in the hippocampus caused by the cerebral hypoperfusion. It suggests that POL can be a beneficial medicinal herb to treat the brain diseases related to cerebral hypoperfusion.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.63-78
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• 2002

Kupunggibodan(KU), Gamisamul-tang(GA) and Whangryunhaedok-tang(WH) are clinically the most popular prescriptions as an herbal medicine in the treatment of ischemia. In order to compare and evaluate their protective effects on the ischema-induced cognitive deficits by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), we examined its ability to improve ischemia-induced cell loss and impairements of learning and memory in the Morris water maze and eight-arm radial arm maze. Focal cerebral ischemia produced a marked cell loss, decrease in acetylcholinesterase(AchE) reactivity in the hippocampus, and learning and memory deficits in two behavioral tasks. Pretreatment with WH (100 mg/kg, p.o.) produced a substantial increase in acquisition in the Morris water maze. Pretreatment with KU increased the perfomance of the resention test in the Morris water maze. WH, KU and GA caused a significant improvement in choice accuracy in radial arm maze test. WH was superior to KU and GA in perfomance of the radial arm maze test. Consistent with behavioral data, staining with cresyl violet showed that pretreatments with WH, but not KU and GA significantly recovered the ischemia-induced cell loss in the hippcampal CA1 area. In addition, pretreatments with WH and KU recovered the ischemia-induced reduction of AchE reactivity in the hippocampal CA1 area. These results demonstrated that KU, GA and WH have protective effects against ischimea-induced learning and memory impairments and that the efficacy was the order of WH>KU>GA in tratment of ischemia induced memory deficits. The present studies provide an evidence of KU, GA and WH as putative treatment of vascular dementia. Supported by a fund from the Ministry of Health and Welfare(HMP-00-OO-04-0004), and the Brain Korea 21 Project from Korean Ministry of Education, Korea.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.226-233
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• 2014

Excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated from abnormal cellular process lead to various human diseases such as inflammation, ischemia, and Parkinson's disease (PD). Sensitive to apoptosis gene (SAG), a RING-FINGER protein, has anti-apoptotic activity and anti-oxidant activity. In this study, we investigate whether Tat-SAG, fused with a Tat domain, could protect SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells against 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ($MPP^+$) and dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) against 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetra-hydropyridine (MPTP) toxicity. Western blot and immunohistochemical analysis showed that, unlike SAG, Tat-SAG transduced efficiently into SH-SY5Y cells and into the brain, respectively. Tat-SAG remarkably suppressed ROS generation, DNA damage, and the progression of apoptosis, caused by $MPP^+$ in SH-SY5Y cells. Also, immunohistochemical data using a tyrosine hydroxylase antibody and cresyl violet staining demonstrated that Tat-SAG obviously protected DA neurons in the SN against MPTP toxicity in a PD mouse model. Tat-SAG-treated mice showed significant enhanced motor activities, compared to SAG- or Tat-treated mice. Therefore, our results suggest that Tat-SAG has potential as a therapeutic agent against ROS-related diseases such as PD.