Effect of total saponins of Panax notoginseng on expression of GFAP in hippocampus and brain water content in rats subjected global cerebral ischemia injury / 中草药

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the effect of the total saponins of Panax notoginseng (TSPN) on the expression of GFAP in hippocampus and brain water content in rats subjected global cerebral ischemia injury. Methods Using four-vessel occlusion method built the global cerebral ischemia model. Rats were divided into Sham group, vehicle group, and TSPN group. The rats in the TSPN group were administered TSPN intraperitoneally 30 min post-brain ischemia. The dose of TSPN (75 mg/kg) was suspended in 0.9% saline, once per day for days 1, 3, 7, and 14 after reperfusion. While rats in the vehicle group was treated with equal volume of 0.9% saline, one injection per day until the rats were sacrificed at either days 1, 3, 7, and 14 after brain ischemia. The brain water contentwas detected by dry-wet technique and GFAP expression in the dentate subgranular zone (SGZ) was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Moreover, immunofluorescence was applied to detect the GFAP/DCX in the SGZ, and western-blot was adopted to test the protein level of GFAP. Results The brain water content in the TSPN group was significantly lower than the vehicle group (P < 0.05); There was statistical difference in the GFAP+ cells density in SGZ at the 3th, 7th, 14th day in two groups (P < 0.05). Furthermore, compared with the vehicle group, the ratio of the GFAP/DCX to DCX in the SGZ at 7th, 14th d of TSPN group was significantly different (P < 0.05), and the protein level of GFAP on days 3, 7, 14 in the TSPN group was higher (P < 0.05). Conclusion TSPN could play a neuroprotective effect through promoting gliosis, neuroregeneration in the SGZ, and alleviating brain water content of rats following global cerebral ischemia.