POSTER PRESENTATION ABSTRACTS
Please note: All posters will be displayed in Salons 10-12.

THURSDAY, 5:30-6:15 PM


Lin B, Saul I, Busto R, Fernandez G, Guillerm L.

Combination of 9 herbal medicines protects neurons in hippocampal CA1 after global ischemia in rat brain.

C V D Research Center, University of Miami, FL lin@stroke.med.miami.edu

In the present study, we employed 9 Chinese herbal medicines, focusing on antioxidant and anti-inflammation which showed beneficial in ischemia patients, to conduct research in rat brain and investigate the mechanism. The major components penetrate blood brain barrier quickly and evenly distribute in intact and ischemic brain in 20 minutes after oral administration. Male Wistar rats, aged 2.3-3.1 months and weighted 256-340g, were subjected to 12.5-min global forebrain ischemia induced by common carotid arteries occlusion plus systemic hypotension (50 mm Hg). Head temperature was controlled at 36-36.5oC and body temperature was at 37-37.5oC by warming lamps over the head and body. Plasma glucose, pO2 and pCO2 were in normal ranges. The dried medical plants were boiled in water to make cocktail-type soup, i.e. decoction. Rats orally received the 9-herb decoction (treated group, n=7) or water (control, n=5) through feed needle for 3 days initiated at 4 hours after insult. Rats survived for 3 days. Sham rats (n=4) received surgery but not ischemia. Brains were perfusion-fixed with FAM (formaldehyde, acetic acid, and methanol; 1:1:8 in volume). Sections were stained by hematoxylin and eosin. Normal-appearing pyramidal neurons in hippocampus CA1 sector at the level ~3.3 mm posterior to bregma were counted under microscope. All of the medial, middle, and lateral sub-sectors in CA1 were evidently necrotic in every rat. The numbers of normal-appearing neurons in CA1 were 96 ± 68 in treated group and 24 ± 18 in control groups at survival of 3 days (mean ± S.D.; ANOVA t-test, p=0.03) while 438 ± 73 in sham rats.

CONCLUSION: The results indicate the multiple-targeting combination of 9 herbal medicines protected the neurons in hippocampal CA1 from global ischemia in rat brain.

 

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