Effect of Buyanghuanwu decoction on the expression of growth-associated protein 43 and synaptophysin after focal cerebral ischemia in mice

Abstract

Objective To investigate the effect of Buyanghuanwu decoction(BYHWD) on the expression of growth-associated protein 43(GAP-43) and synaptophysin(SYP) after focal cerebral ischemia in mice. Methods Focal cerebral ischemia was induced by 30 min of middle cerebral artery occlusion followed by reperfusion. BYHWD (20 g/kg) was administered orally 24 h after ischemia and once a day.The neurological score and the corner test were used to evaluate sensorimotor function on 1, 3, 7, and 14 days after ischemia. The expression of GAP-43 and SYP in the ischemic boundary zone was determined by immunohistochemistry 14 days after ischemia. Results Compared with the model group, BYHWD significantly ameliorated neurological dysfunction at 3, 7 and 14 days and reduced the number of right turn at 7 and 14 days after ischemia(P<0.05). The average optical density of GAP-43 and SYP was 0.217±0.012 and 0.278±0.019 at the boundary zone in model group 14 days after ischemia, respectively. BYHWD also significantly increased the immunoreactivity of GAP-43(0.250±0.013) and SYP(0.323±0.017) (P<0.01). Conclusion BYHWD promotes axonal regeneration and synaptic plasticity in the ischemic boundary zone, which may contribute to functional recovery after focal cerebral ischemia. Key words: Focal cerebral ischemia; Growth-associated protein 43; Synaptophysin; Buyanghuanwu decoction