ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the effects of methycobal on the expression of Caspase-3 in brain tissue after cerebral ischemia reperfusion in rats. Methods Rats were randomly divided into sham-operation group, model control group, nimodipine group and low-dose methycobal group, high-dose methycobal group(n=30 in each group).Rats in the sham-operation group and model control group were administered intragastrically with 0.9% sodium chloride solution, rats in the nimodipine group were treated with 1 mg . kg-1 . d-1 of nimodipine, rats in the low- and high-dose of methycobal groups were given 50 and 100 μg.kg-1 .d-1 of methycobal, respectively. The rat model of cerebral ischemia reperfusion was established by middle cerebral artery occlusion with suture method for 3 h.Neurological deficit scores were evaluated 24 h after reperfusion.The apoptosis of perifocal cortex cells was detected by TUNEL method and the expression of Caspase-3 was analyzed by RT-PCR 6, 12 and 24 h after reperfusion. Results Neurological deficit scores in model control group, nimodipine group, low-dose methycobal group and high-dose methycobal group were 2.70±0.52, 1.30±0.51, 2.20±0.75 and 1.30±0.81, respectively.Compared with model control group, neurological deficit scores were significantly different in the nimodipine group, low-dose methycobal group and high-dose methycobal group(P0. 05 ) . There was a significant difference between the high-dose methycobal group and low-dose methycobal group( P0.05).There were significant differences between the high-dose methycobal group and low-dose methycobal group at the end of 24 h(P<0.05). Conclusion Methycobal can protect the brain cells from injury after cerebral ischemia reperfusion by adjusting the expression of Caspase-3m RNA, and the high-dose methycobal is more effective.