Accelerated Method for Determining Ischemic Brain Damage in Rats and Assessment the Neuroprotective Effect of a Complex Herbal Remedy.

The severity of ischemic injury was evaluated by densitometry of brain samples stained with 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) on a rat model of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (common carotid artery occlusion) and the neuroprotective activity of an extract of Astragalus membranaceus, Scutellaria baicalensis, and Phlojodicarpus sibiricus was assessed. Occlusion of the common carotid arteries led to a weakening of TTC staining of the brain tissue: densitometric indicators of the staining intensity for the cortex and striatum were lower than the corresponding indicators of sham-operated rats by 18.3 and 10.4%. The mean intensity of staining of brain samples did not differ in rats treated with the extract and sham-operated animals, which attested to its neuroprotective effect. The applied method is convenient for evaluation of the severity of ischemic brain damage at the early stages and screening potential neuroprotective agents.

[MORPHOMETRIC EVALUATION OF THE NEUROPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF THE EXTRACT OF ASTRAGALUS MEMBRANACEUS ON THE BRAIN OF RATS SUBJECTED TO IMMOBILIZATION STRESS].

The aim of the study was to analyze histological and morphometric changes in the brain of rats subjected to immobilization stress and to assess the neuroprotective effect of the extract of Astragalus membranaceus (AE). The work was carried out on Wistar rats that were divided into 3 groups (6 animals in each): group 1 ­ intact rats; group 2 ­ control animals subjected to immobilization stress for 18 h; group 3 ­ rats treated orally with AE (50 mg/kg) for 7 days and then subjected to immobilization stress. The level of stress-induced brain damage was assessed by a morphometric method, by measuring the proportions of morphologically intact neurons, hyperchromatic shrunken neurons and neurons with the signs of degeneration in layers III­V of the cerebral cortex and CA1 region of the hippocampus in the standard area of the section. Immobilization stress in rats led to a clearly pronounced neuronal damage in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. AE was found to limit the stress-induced neuronal damage in the cerebral cortex and the hippocampus: the proportion of hyperchromatic shrunken neurons was reduced 3 and 4.6 times, respectively, compared to control.

Morphological Analysis of Neurovascular Changes in the Brain in Unilateral Occlusion of the Common Carotid Artery.

Morphological analysis of changes in the brain structures of rats with unilateral occlusion of the common carotid artery showed vascular disorders and neuronal involvement in the anteroparietal cortex and hippocampal CA1 filed on the ipsilateral side.

CHRONIC TOXICITY ASSESSMENT OF HIPOLIPIDAEMIC HERBAL EXTRACT / Монголын эм зүй, эм судлал

Aim of the study: The present study was car- ried out to evaluate the safety of a hipolipidaemic herbal extract by determining its potential toxicity after chronic administration in rats.Materials and Methods: The hipolipidaemic herbal extract was administered orally at doses of 50, 150 mg/kg daily for 90 days to rats. Bio- chemical and morphological parameters were determined after 90 days of daily administration. Results: In the chronic study in rats, daily oral administration of the extract for up to 90 days did not result in death or significant changes in the biological, biochemical and morphological parameters. Conclusions: The results showed that the hypolipidaemic herbal extract had no toxicity in oral chronic administration and indicate that the herbal formula could be considered safe for oral medication. Key words: Herbal hypolipidaemic extract, chronic toxicity. Introduction In the present time, there has been a great in- crease in the use of herbal remedies in the treat- ment of diseases [1, 2]. Many traditional plants with therapeutic lipid-lowering properties are claimed to be useful in the treatment of hyperlipi- demia and associated pathologies [3, 4, 5]. The hipolipidaemic herbal composition (extract) con- sists of ten herbs: fruits of Rosa canina L., Cra- taegus sanguinea Pall., Elettaria cardamonum L.and Malus baccata L., roots and rhizomae of Glycyrrhiza glabra L., Zingiber officnale, såminà Lini usitatissimi L., folia Îrthosiphoni staminei Benth. and other. Chronic toxicity study of this hipolipidaemic herbal extract was performed in rats in order to evaluate the safety. Material and methods Wistar rats of both sexes aged 1-1.5 months toxicity assessment. Animals were divided into 3 groups (I–III) of 10 each (5 females and 5 males). The extract, dissolved in distilled water, was ad- ministered by daily oral for 90 days, to rats of groups II-III (doses of 50, 150 mg/kg, respec- tively). I group was control (distillate water). The animals were observed for signs of toxicity and mortality throughout the experimental period. The body weigh were recorded weekly. At the end of the 90-day experiment, rats of each group were sacrificed by decapitation under anaesthe- sia (sodium thiopental 50 mg/kg). Blood was col- lected for biochemical studies respectively. The organs (brain, heart, lung, liver, spleen, kidneys) were weighted and compared with the value of control. Organ samples (kidney, pancreas, lung and liver) were fixed in 10% formalin for histo- pathological examination.

Morphological assessment of the cerebroprotective action of lanthanum acetate in chronic cerebral ischemia in rats.

The aim of the present work was to perform a morphological assessment of the cerebroprotective action of lanthanum acetate in chronic cerebral ischemia in rats. Chronic ischemia was produced in Wistar rats (weighing 160-180 g) by ligation of both common carotid arteries. Ischemic lesions were corrected by intragastric lanthanum acetate (3 mg/kg per day) throughout the experimental period. Ischemic damage to the cortex was assessed morphometrically on histological sections stained by the Nissl method. Lanthanum acetate was found to suppress the development of ischemic neuron damage in the cerebral cortex, with reductions in the numbers of hyperchromic neurons, cells with focal chromatolysis, and ghost cells, as well as an increase in the number of normochromic cells as compared with controls.