Effects of Naomaitong and thrombolysis on injuries of lung and stomach in rats with cerebral ischemia

Abstract

To study the protective effects of Naomaitong, a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, used together with thrombolysis therapy, on injuries of the lung and stomach in rats with cerebral ischemia. Rats were randomly divided into sham-operated group, untreated group, urokinase group (thrombolysis group), Naomaitong group, thrombolysis plus Naomaitong group. Cerebral ischemia was induced in rats by autonomous blood blot and inserted nylon thread. Rats were administrated with thrombolysis therapy through artery 3, 6 and 9 h after cerebral ischemia respectively. Twenty-four hours after the administration, mortality of the rats, and the brain and stomach hemorrhage ratios, as well as the pathological changes of the brain, lung and stomach were observed, and then cerebral infarct size (CIS) and lung water ratio (LWR) were measured. Compared with the sham-operated group, the rat mortality, and the brain and stomach hemorrhage ratios increased, the CIS enlarged, pathological changes of the brain, lung and stomach appeared obvious, and the LWR increased. Naomaitong plus thrombolysis treatment improved the changes above significantly. In the untreated rats with cerebral ischemia, injuries of the brain, lung and stomach were aggravated, the CIS enlarged and the LWR increased in the 9 h group as compared with those in the 3 h group. In the thrombolysis plus Naomaitong group, the pathological changes were improved, the CIS diminished and the LWR reduced. Injuries of the lung and stomach can be caused by cerebral ischemia, and the impairment was exacerbated following the prolongation of the ischemia. Thrombolysis therapy can cause brain and stomach hemorrhage. Thrombolysis therapy used early can perform protection against the injuries. Naomaitong, used together with thrombolysis, can reduce the mortality, the brain and stomach hemorrhage ratios, and perform protective effects on the injuries of cerebral ischemia.