Protective effect of Naoshuning in a rat brain ischemia-reperfusion damage model

Abstract

To evaluate the protective effects of Naoshuning Chinese traditional medicine on the brain ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury in rats and explore the possible mechanism of IR injury, rats were divided into 4 groups: sham-operation group, model group as negative control group, Naoshuning group as treatment group and ginaton group as positive control group. The brain IR model was established in rats. Reperfusion was carried out 2 h after ischemia. Neurological evaluation was assessed by scores when the rats came around. Brain infarct volume, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in serum were examined, respectively at 1st day, 7th day and 14th day after reperfusion. Behavioral abnormities could be seen after the surgery. Compared with sham-operation group, the general scores was much higher in the IR group but was significantly lower in Naoshuning group and ginaton group (p<0.01). After surgery, rats in IR groups appeared much more infarcts than those in sham-operation group (P<0.01). The infarct volume in the Naoshuning group and ginaton group was markedly decreased and the decrease was more obvious at the 7th day after reperfusion (taking drug for 10 days) (P<0.01). When compared with sham group, the activity of SOD in IR group dramatically decreased and the MDA content increased significantly after injury (p<0.01). Within IR groups, the SOD activity at the 3rd and 7th day after reperfusion (taking drug for 6 and 10 days, respectively) was markedly increased in Naoshuning and ginaton group, and the MDA content was decreased significantly in Naoshuning and ginaton groups compared with sham-operation group. In conclusion, Naoshuning treatment significantly improved the neurological functions, reduced the infarct volume, decreased the MDA content and improved the SOD activity in rats undergoing IR injury, which suggests that Naoshuning can exert neuroprotective effects via inhibiting free radical generation and improving the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Key words: Naoshuning, ischemic encephalopathy, reperfusion damage, superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde.