Buyang Huanwu Decoction () Attenuates Glial Scar by Downregulating the Expression of Leukemia Inhibitory Factor in Intracerebral Hemorrhagic Rats / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the effect of Buyang Huanwu Decoction (, BYHWD) on glial scar after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and investigate the underlying mechanism.@*METHODS@#Collagenase type VII (0.5 U) was injected stereotaxically into right globus pallidus to induce ICH model. One hundred and twenty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups according to a random number table, including normal group (n=40), ICH model group (n=40) and BYHWD group (n=40), respectively. After ICH, the rats in the BYHWD group were intragastrically administered with BYHWD (4.36 g/kg) once a day for 21 days, while the rats in ICH group were administered with equal volume of distilled water for 21 days, respectively. Double immunolabeling was performed for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)/glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) nuclei. The expression of GFAP and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).@*RESULTS@#The astrocytes with hypertrophied morphology around the hematoma was observed on day 3 after ICH. The number of GFAP positive cells and GFAP mRNA levels increased notably on day 3 and reached the peak on day 14 post-ICH (P<0.01). PCNA+/GFAP+ nuclei were observed around the hematoma and reached the peak on day 14 post-ICH (P<0.01). In addition, LIF-positive astrocytes and LIF mRNA level in the hemorrhagic region increased significantly till day 14 post-ICH (P<0.01). However, BYHWD not only reduced the number of PCNA/GFAP nuclei, but also decreased GFAP and LIF levels (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#BYHWD could attenuate ICH-induced glial scar by downregulating the expression of LIF in the rats.

Angiogenesis opens a way for Chinese medicine to treat stroke / 中国结合医学杂志

Based on the pathophysiology of the brain, advance in angiogenesis induced by stroke, and evidences of Chinese-medicine-mediated angiogenesis, the possibility to study the stroke-treating mechanism of Chinese medicine in angiogenesis was discussed. And regarding our previous work on angiogenesis modulated by qi-tonifying and stasis-eliminating therapy following intracerebral hemorrhage, we proposed some questions, which should be taken into account in the further work.

Electroacupuncture at Zusanli (ST36) accelerates intracerebral hemorrhage-induced angiogenesis in rats / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of electro-acupuncture on intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH)-induced angiogenesis and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) expression in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups of 24 rats each. ICH was induced in 3 groups by stereotactic injection of collagenase type VII into the right globus pallidus; of these, one group was not further treated, the second group underwent Zusanli (ST36)-acupuncture, and the third group underwent non-acupoint acupuncture. The fourth group underwent sham operations. Acupuncture was performed by stimulation with electrical needles at frequencies of 2-20 Hz for 30 min per day. Angiogenesis on days 3, 7 and 14 was assessed by double immunolabeling, and expression of HIF-1α was evaluated by immunohistochemistry, quantitative real time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>5-Bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU)-labeled nuclei in cerebral endothelial cells (ECs) resided around the hematoma and the labeling peaked from 7 to 14 days (P<0.01). HIF-1α positive microvessels with a dilated outline were detected in perihematomal tissues after ICH, with the vessels extending into the clot from the surrounding area beginning on day 7. Following ICH, HIF-1α protein levels increased (P<0.05), but HIF-1α mRNA levels did not change. Electro-acupuncture at the Zusanli (ST36) acupoint increased BrdU-labeled nuclei in cerebral ECs (P<0.05) and up-regulated the expression of HIF-1α protein (P<0.05), but had little effect on the spatial distribution of HIF-1α or on HIF-1α mRNA levels.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Electro-acupuncture treatment at the Zusanli (ST36) acupoint may accelerate ICH-induced angiogenesis by up-regulating HIF-1α protein, and may enhance recovery following hemorrhagic cerebral injury.</p>

Effect of buyang huanwu decoction on expressions of angiopoietin-1 and its receptor mRNA in brain of rat after intracerebral hemorrhage / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the mechanisms of Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BYHWD) by observing its effects on expressions of angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) and the endothelial-specific receptor tyrosine kinase (Tie-2) mRNA in damaged region of rats' brain after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups, 10 in the normal control group, 60 in the sham-operative group, 60 in the ICH model group, and 30 in the BYHWD-treated group. The ICH model was established by injecting collagenase type VII 0.5 U stereotaxically into right globus pallidus. Animals in the BYHWD-treated group were administered orally with BYHWD, while animals in the sham-operative group and the ICH model group were administered orally with equal volume distilled water, and those in the normal control group drank water freely. The positional variations of the expression of Ang-1 and Tie-2 in the sham-operative group and the model group were assayed by immunohistochemistry on dayl, 4, 7, 14, 21 and 28 after modeling, in the meantime, the dynamic changes of Ang-1 and Tie-2 mRNA expressions in all groups were assayed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>No significant expression of Ang-1 and Tie-2 in brain of rats in the normal or the sham-operative group was found during the experiment. In the model group, the Ang-1 and Tie-2 positive micrangio-segments appeared at the edge of clot on day 1 to day 4, they gradually penetrated to hematoma area from day 7; with Ang-1 and Tie-2 mRNA expressed from day 1, but very weak until day 4, showing no significant difference to that on day 1; thereafter, they increased gradually, and reached the peak on day 28 (P <0.05). While the two expressions in the BYHWD treated group reached the peak on day 21, and from day 7 to day 28, they were all significantly higher than those in ICH model group at the corresponding time points (P <0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>BYHWD can promote the up-regulation of Ang-1 and Tie-2mRNA expressions in brain of intracerebral hemorrhagic rats, which might accelerate the angiogenesis in the reconstruction of microvascular network in the damaged zone, and thus facilitating the repairing of damaged tissue.</p>