Effects of Weinaokang capsule on intracephalic cholinergic system and capability of scavenging free radicas in chronic cerebral hypoperfusion rats / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the intervention and mechanism of Weinaokang capsule (WNK) on cognitive impairment rats induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The bilateral common carotid arteries of rats were ligated. Rats were intragastrically administrated with WNK 4 weeks after the ligation. After 8 weeks of administration, persistent time of rats on finding the platform in MORRIS water maze was measured, meanwhile, content of acetylcholine (ACh) in brain tissue was measured by HPLC-ECD, activity of acetylcholine esterase (AChE) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), content of malonaldehyde (MDA) was measured by colorimetric method.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>After 4-8 weeks of administration, the time of finding the platform in WNK group was significantly shorter than in the model group, activity of AChE in brain tissue was significantly reduced (P < 0. 05), content of ACh was significantly increased (P < 0.05-0.01), activity of SOD was significantly reinforced (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>WNK capsule can improve the cognitive impairment induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion, and its mechanism may be associated with reinforcing the capability of scavenging free radical and protecting the cholinergic system.</p>

Experimental study of the total flavonoid in Hypericum perforatum on depression / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate pharmacological effects of the total flavonoid in Hypericum perforatum on depression.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Experimental depression was induced by subcutaneous injection of reserpine in mice. The concentration of monoamine transmitters including 5-HT and NE, the activity of monoamine oxidase (MAO) in brain and reserpine-induced symptoms of depression, such as ptosis, attenuation of autonomous activity, behavioral despair, acquired helplessness and sleep, were measured respectively to evaluate the effects of the total flavonoid in H. perforatum on the depression.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The total flavonoid in H. perforatum significantly decreased the activity of MAO, inhibited the ptosis and the attenuation of autonomous behavior induced by reserpine respectively. The levels of 5-HT and NE were also attenuated by the total flavonoid in H. perforatum remarkably. In addition, the total flavonoid in H. perforatum was shown to inhibit behavioral despair and acquired helplessness and to prolong the sleep time in the mice. Following the treatment with the total flavonoid in H. perforatum, 5-THP, at the dosage without any side-effects, caused the tremble in the mice.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The results indicate that total flavonoid in H. perforatum can significantly inhibit the depression.</p>

The effect of Baicalin on gene expression profile in rat brain of focal cerebral ischemia / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the difference of genes expression profiles between focal cerebral ischemia tissue and that treated with Baicalin using cDNA microarray.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The total RNAs were isolated from rat brains of sham-operation, vehicle (focal cerebral ischemia of rat brain) and baicalin-treated groups. mRNAs were reversely transcribed to cDNA with incorporation of fluorescent dUTP (Cy5 or Cy3 dUTP) to prepare hybridization probes. The PCR products of 4096 genes were spotted on the chip after a serial of treatment. The mixed probes were hybridized to the cDNA microarray. Axon Genepix 4000B and GenePixPro 3.0 software were used to scan and analyze the fluorescent signals.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The expressions of 199 and 12 genes were found up-regulated and down-regulated, respectively, in the vehicle group compared with the sham-operation one. But the numbers of genes whose expressions were up-regulated and down-regulated were 89 and 88, respectively, when comparing the gene expression in the Baicalin-treated rat brain with that in the vehicle group. Moreover, one down-regulated and three up-regulated genes in the vehicle group were up-regulated and down-regulated in the Baicalin-treated group, respectively. Expressions of three up-regulated genes in the vehicle group were further reinforced in the Baicalin-treatment group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Multiple pathways and nodes may be involved in the pharmacological effect of Baicalin on brain ischemia.</p>