ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the effects of sodium aescinate on endothelin ( ET ) and calcitonin gene -related peptide ( CGRP) contents in the gerbils with cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury ( CI/R) . Methods:The gerbil model of CI/R was prepared by bilateral common carotid arteries ligation for 10 min followed by 2-hour reperfusion. Sodium aescinate (i. p. , 10, 20 and 40 mg· kg-1 ) was administered once a day for 3 days before the operation and once every 1 h after the operation, respectively. The levels of ET and CGRP in brain tissue homogenate were determined by a radioimmunoassay method. Results:Sodium aescinate significantly in-hibited the level of ET (28. 69-37. 03 ng·L-1) in the brain tissue of gerbils with CI/R compared with the model group (P0. 05). Conclusion:Sodium aescinate has obvious protective effects a-gainst CI/R in gerbils, which may be due to its inhibitory action on ET levels in brain tissue.