Effect of Luoyutong capsule on focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats

WANG Li-ye; ZHAO Hai-ping; WANG Rong-liang; ZHANG Chen-cheng; LIU Xiao-meng; WANG Ning-qun; LUO Yu-min; CHEN Zhi-gang

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1672-5921.2014.12.007

Abstract：Objectives To observe the effect of Luoyutong capsule on neurological function following focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion in rats and to preliminarily study the protective mechanism of Luoyutong capsule for focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion in rats. Methods A rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)was induced by the modified Longa method. After 1. 5 h of ischemia,reperfusion started. Ten male SD rats were selected as sham operation group,and forty male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups:Model (MCAO),Luoyutong moderate-dose (LYTM),Luoyutong high-dose (LYTH),and citicoline sodium (CS)groups (n=10 in each group). At day 3 and 7 after modeling,the neurological function of the rats was evaluated by using 12 neurological score and forelimb placing test. Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF),basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF),and phosphor/protein kinase (p-AKT/AKT)on the ischemic side of the rats and in the ipsilateral brain tissue at day 3 after modeling,as well as the expression level of Caspase-12 at day 7 after modeling in the ipsilateral brain tissue,and a comparison was performed among the groups. Results (1 )Neurological score:At day 3 after modeling,there was no significant difference between the 12 neurological score and the forelimb placing test score (all P>0. 05);At day 7 after modeling, there were obvious improvement in the LYTM,LYTH,and CS groups compared with model group (all P<0.05). (2)The results of western blot showed that①compare with the sham operation group,the expression levels of BDNF and b-FGF were reduced obviously (all P<0.05);compare with the MCAO group,the expression levels of the LYTM,LYTH and CS groups could be up-regulated,particularly in the LYTH group (P<0. 01);② compare with the sham operation group,the expression level of p-AKT/AKT in MCAO group was decreased obviously (P<0. 05);compare with the MCAO group,the expression levels of p-AKT/AKT of the LYTM,LYTH,and CS groups were increased,particularly in the LYTH and CS groups (all P<0. 05);③ compared with the sham operation group,the expression of cleavage Caspase-12 was increased obviously in the MCAO group (P<0. 05). Compared with the MCAO group,the expression levels of proCaspase-12 and cleavage Caspase-12 had a decreasing trend in the LYTM and LYTH groups,but there were no significant differences (all P >0. 05);the expression levels of proCaspase-12 and cleavage Caspase-12 in the CS group were obviously lower than those of the MCAO group (P<0. 05). Conclusion Luoyutong capsule may play a protective effect for focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats by promoting neural survival and regeneration,and this protective effect may be associated with the inhibition of neuronal apoptosis.